Estate or Probate Attorney. Anyone who needs assistance in navigating the probate process would be well-advised to consult with a knowledgeable attorney experienced in estates and probate administration.
There is no requirement to probate a Will and qualify as an Executor. However, you may not secrete or purposefully hide a Will. In determining whether to probate a Will and qualify as a Personal Representative, you should consider the title, value and nature of the assets.
The state probate tax is 10 cents per $100 of the estate value at the time of death. The local probate tax is 3.33 cents (1/3 of 10 cents) per $100 of the estate value at the time of death.
The tax is assessed at the rate of 10 cents per $100 on estates valued at more than $15,000, including the first $15,000 of assets. For example, the tax on an estate valued at $15,500 is $15.50.
What is the procedure to probate an estate with a Will? A. The executor named in the Will must schedule an appointment with the Probate Division to probate the Will and qualify as executor. The named executor should be a Virginia resident; however, statutes allows out-of-state residents to qualify.
One way is to execute and fund a trust. If all of your assets are in a trust, they will pass through your trust instead of undergoing the probate process. Another way to avoid probate is to add beneficiary designations or “transfer on death” or “payable on death” designations on your bank accounts and other assets.
In Virginia, an estate will need to be probated when a person dies with property valued at more than $50,000. So, to avoid probate, you must either have a very small estate or take steps to ensure that your assets transfer automatically to beneficiaries.
There is no requirement to probate a Will and qualify as an Executor. However, you may not secrete or purposefully hide a Will. In determining whether to probate a Will and qualify as a Personal Representative, you should consider the title, value and nature of the assets.
The tax is assessed at the rate of 10 cents per $100 on estates valued at more than $15,000, including the first $15,000 of assets. For example, the tax on an estate valued at $15,500 is $15.50. Localities may also impose a local probate tax equal to 1/3 of the state probate tax.
Common non-probate assets include: Life insurance proceeds or pension benefits payable to a named beneficiary. Assets such as a home owned with someone else in joint tenancy or tenancy by the entirety. Assets with a listed beneficiary outside of the deceased person's will such as an IRA or payable-on-death bank account.