The distribution of estate assets and property are handled personally by the estate Executor or Administrator. This is the Personal Representative who was formally appointed by the probate court who is legally authorized to manage and handle the decedent's probate estate, including the final distribution of assets.
Steps to Administering an Estate in Maryland Determine whether You are the Personal Representative. Petition to Probate the Estate. Make an Inventory of the Estate. Assess any projected Inheritance Taxes. Consolidate the Estate and Manage Expenses. Prepare the Estate for Distribution and File an Accounting.
Assets can be distributed at death in several ways, such as with a beneficiary designation, through a jointly held account, by probate, or a trust. Each method of transfer has advantages as well as important considerations.
Three common strategies for dividing an inheritance include: Per stirpes. One of the simplest strategies for asset distribution among heirs, this method requires that the estate be divided equally among each branch of the family. Per capita. Per capita by generation.
Assets can be distributed at death in several ways, such as with a beneficiary designation, through a jointly held account, by probate, or a trust. Each method of transfer has advantages as well as important considerations.
If the probate assets in Maryland have a value in excess of $50,000 (or $100,000 if the spouse is the sole legatee or heir) the estate shall be opened as a regular estate. To establish the value of an estate, include only assets held in the name of a decedent alone and/or an interest held as tenants in common.
A transfer on death (TOD) deed, or beneficiary deed, automatically transfers ownership of property to a beneficiary upon the owner's death. A TOD deed can be an attractive option as it avoids probate and sidesteps the complexity that can come with creating a trust.
A surviving spouse can inherit through a last will & testament or if there is none, under Alabama intestacy laws. If there is no will and the deceased person also had children, the spouse and the children can inherit.
How Do I Find A Will In The Alabama Courts? An individual may inspect and/or request copies of a will that has been probated per the state's Open Records Request Policy (Code of Alabama 1975, Section 36-12-40). A will that has been probated can be viewed in county courthouses.
Search Probate Court Records In order to view complete records and to set up an online account with capability of viewing and copying images, contact a member of the Probate Record Room staff at (334) 832-2584 or (334) 832-1249.