Ask the County Clerk or search online for your county's probate forms. Fill out the forms with the requested details, such as the decedent's full name, address, date of birth, and date of death; their personal representatives' contact details; heirs; estate value; and more. Then return the forms to the County Clerk.
Unless real estate is owned in joint tenancy with right of survivorship or placed into a trust, it must be probated.
The non-probate assets that do not apply to the deceased person's debts are: Property with the right of survivorship. Insurance proceeds, such as life insurance. Annuities payable to an individual upon death.
Assets that do not have to go through probate include property held in joint tenancy, property that is payable on death, annuities, life insurance, and retirement plans that have designated beneficiaries. Assets that do not transfer upon death require the probate process.
In Minnesota, the deceased person's will generally names an executor. If the will is silent on this matter, or if the named executor is unable or unwilling to serve, the court can appoint one. Executors often seek the assistance of an experienced probate attorney during this complex process.
In Minnesota, you can make a living trust to avoid probate for virtually any asset you own—real estate, bank accounts, vehicles, and so on. You need to create a trust document (similar to a will), naming someone to take over as trustee after your death (called a "successor trustee").
Transfer on Death Deed. For real estate, a transfer on death deed (TODD) that is filed with the county while the owner is alive acts to change ownership of property once they pass without going through probate.
Your personal representative starts a probate proceeding by filing an application or petition with the probate court in the county where you lived at the time of your death. Probate proceedings in Minnesota may be either formal or informal and generally must be initiated within three years after the decedent's death.
Your property will go to your spouse or closest relatives. If you have a spouse and children, the property will go to them by a set formula. If not, the property will descend in the following order: grandchildren, parents, brothers and sisters, or more distant relatives if there are no closer ones.
Minnesota law does not set a specific timeline for settling an estate, but it generally should be done as "expeditiously and efficiently as is compatible with the best interests of the estate." Delays can result in additional expenses and even legal repercussions for the executor.