If Samantha's father left a will naming her as a beneficiary, her mother had a fiduciary duty to administer the estate ...

Do retirement accounts go through probate? Discover how beneficiary designations work -- and how to keep IRAs, 401(k)s & ...

Here's a brief look at what everyone needs to know about probate and estate planning in the context of real estate closings.

Discover what happens if an executor dies before probate. Learn about successor appointment, backup executors, and handling estate matters in the interim.

What to do if an executor delays probate or withholds estate information, including when to hire a probate litigation lawyer.

A reader asks real estate lawyer Gary Singer: My siblings and I disagree about selling our mother’s house after she died without a will. What will happen to the house, where one of us lives?

A will that’s lost, outdated, or inaccessible can send even the most well-intentioned estate plan straight to probate court.