Executor Of Estate Form After Death Without Will In Harris
Description
Form popularity
FAQ
In Texas, the surviving spouse and children will usually inherit all probate assets. If there are no children or grandchildren, the property may pass to the spouse, parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, and/or other heirs, depending on the situation.
Probate courts attempt to carry out this role while protecting the interests of the beneficiaries and creditors involved. This process can take between two months to as long as two years, depending on the complexity of the estate.
Procedure — An Application for Determination of Heirship is filed with the court. The court then appoints an attorney ad litem for unknown heirs who will investigate the heirship facts of the decedent. After a hearing, the court will issue a Judgment Declaring Heirship which names the heirs of the estate.
An affidavit of heirship can be used to transfer title to real property when there are no debts of the estate and no administration is necessary. The affidavit must be signed by two disinterested witness who are familiar with the family history.
Probate timelines can vary significantly. If the estate is small or simple, the probate court can often conclude the process within six months. However, there are many cases where probate can last for a year or longer.
An executor is someone named in a will as the person who will carry out the testator's formal wishes. Typical duties of an executor include paying outstanding taxes/debt and distributing any remaining assets among the testator's heirs.
In Texas, the surviving spouse and children will usually inherit all probate assets. If there are no children or grandchildren, the property may pass to the spouse, parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, and/or other heirs, depending on the situation.
Section 304.003 - Persons Disqualified To Serve As Executor Or Administrator (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person is not qualified to serve as an executor or administrator if the person is: (1) incapacitated; (2) a felon convicted under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United States ...
In Texas, executors don't have a legal obligation to probate a will. If they choose not to, they (or another person who has the will) must surrender it to the court clerk. The clerk will notify the executor and/or beneficiaries and give everyone a chance to probate it.
