Tag Archives: Probate Attorney Contra Costa County

What Assets Can Be Administered By The Probate Court When The Decedent’s Will Is Filed?

Only certain assets left through a person’s will can be administered through a probate proceeding. For a married person, all of his or her separate property, which is in that person’s name alone, can be distributed through a probate court proceeding. Separate property is identified as what was owned by the decedent before marriage. In […]

The Personal Representative of the Probate Estate

When a probate is filed, the court will appoint a Personal Representative of the estate. This personal representative will be identified in the court proceeding as the executor or administrator of the estate. This person will sign and file the various documents that will be required by the court through the course of the probate […]

The Probate Spousal Property Petition

Assets that pass to a surviving spouse can be confirmed to the surviving spouse, through a petition process in probate court. This is not a full probate, and is called a “Spousal Property Petition”. This petition process usually takes around two months to complete, as opposed to around a year that is needed to complete […]

Assets That Are Not Subject To Probate

Not all assets are subject to probate. For instance, life insurance policies that name a specific beneficiary are not subject to probate. If however, you name “my estate” or “my children” as beneficiaries, a probate will probably be required. Retirement accounts, also known as “qualified accounts” like IRA’s and 401K’s, are not subject to probate […]

Medi-Cal Treatment of Reverse Mortgages

Reverse mortgage loans are designed for homeowners who are 62 years of age or older, and who have a substantial amount of equity in their homes. The amount of equity is usually the difference between the fair market appraised value of your property, and the amount due on existing mortgages. As the borrower under a […]

Probate – Joint Tenancy Transfer Without Probate

Real property held in joint tenancy can be transferred upon the death of one of the owners of the property without a probate. However, this is not always a good idea. For instance, lets assume that John Doe is the owner of 123 Wilkins St., and John Doe wants his friend Jim Smith to obtain title […]

Probates with Real Estate –

PROBATE is a court proceeding that is used to distribute your assets to your beneficiaries at the time of your death. Probates are complex, and require that numerous forms and regulations be followed, before the court will sign an order distributing your assets to your beneficiaries or heirs.  A probate with regard to your home and […]