Learn how probate validates a will, pays debts, and distributes assets to heirs. State intestacy laws apply when there is no ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bob Carlson researches all facets of retirement finances. The recent deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa ...

Q: My sister passed away and named me as the beneficiary and executor in her will. She owned nothing. The only asset is a life insurance policy payable to her estate for $1,500. My lawyer told me not ...

What is a probate attorney? Probate can feel like stepping into a maze of legal paperwork, court deadlines and emotional decisions, often at one of life’s more difficult moments. Families suddenly ...