28 guides
Wills, Probate & Estates
A will decides who inherits and who is in charge, and probate is the court process that follows. These guides explain how wills are made valid, what an executor does, how long probate takes and what it costs, and how to plan for passwords and online accounts.
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Password Management After Death: A Practical Guide to Digital InheritanceCompanies won't give families a dead person's passwords. Learn what works: Legacy Contact, Inactive Account Manager, emergency access and the law. 6 min readBeneficiary Update Checklist: What to Review and WhenA beneficiary form usually overrides your will. Review life insurance, 401(k), IRA and bank beneficiaries with this checklist and avoid costly mistakes. 7 min readClosing Email Accounts After a Death: Gmail, Apple, Microsoft and YahooHow to close or get data from a deceased person's Gmail, iCloud, Outlook or Yahoo account: what providers require and why to wait before deleting. 6 min read
Every wills & estates guide
- Advance Directive vs Living Will: What's the Difference and Which Do You Need?An advance directive is the umbrella term and a living will is one kind. See how each works, how a health care proxy differs, and how to make one for free.
- Advance Healthcare Directive: How to Make One, Step by StepHow to make an advance healthcare directive: choose an agent, state your wishes, sign with the right witnesses and share copies. Free state forms are available.
- Apple Legacy Contact: How to Set One Up and How Access Works After DeathHow to add an Apple Legacy Contact, what they can and can't access, what they need to request it, and the three-year limit before the account is deleted.
- Beneficiary Update Checklist: What to Review and WhenA beneficiary form usually overrides your will. Review life insurance, 401(k), IRA and bank beneficiaries with this checklist and avoid costly mistakes.
- Can You Have a Funeral Before Probate? Who Pays and HowYes, you can hold a funeral before probate. See who can arrange it, how to pay while accounts are frozen, and how to get repaid from the estate.
- Childless Estate Planning: What to Put in Place Without KidsIf you have no children, the law won't pick your decision-makers or heirs the way you would. See the documents to sign and the people to name, step by step.
- Closing Email Accounts After a Death: Gmail, Apple, Microsoft and YahooHow to close or get data from a deceased person's Gmail, iCloud, Outlook or Yahoo account: what providers require and why to wait before deleting.
- Cryptocurrency After Death: How Heirs Find, Access and Inherit CryptoWhat happens to Bitcoin and other crypto when the owner dies: finding wallets, exchange vs self-custody, the tax basis reset, and how to leave instructions.
- Debt When Someone Dies: Who Pays and What Heirs OweDebts are paid from the estate, and relatives usually owe nothing from their own money. See the exceptions, the order creditors are paid and your rights.
- Does a Will Cover Funeral Arrangements? What Is Binding and What Isn'tCan you put funeral wishes in a will? Learn when they are legally binding, why timing often defeats them, and how to record your wishes so they are followed.
- Dying Without a Will: Who Arranges the Funeral and Who InheritsWhat happens when someone dies without a will: who has the right to arrange the funeral, how intestacy decides who inherits, and the steps to take first.
- Estate Inventory Checklist: What to List and How to Value ItAn estate inventory checklist for executors: what to list, how to value each asset on the date of death, where to find hidden accounts and court deadlines.
- How Long Does Probate Take? Typical Timeline and DelaysProbate often takes 9 to 18 months, but it depends on your state and the estate. See what sets the clock, what causes delays and what can speed it up.
- How to Bypass Probate: Ways to Pass Assets Without CourtA will does not avoid probate, but beneficiary forms, joint ownership, POD accounts, TOD deeds and living trusts can. See how each works and its limits.
- Password Management After Death: A Practical Guide to Digital InheritanceCompanies won't give families a dead person's passwords. Learn what works: Legacy Contact, Inactive Account Manager, emergency access and the law.
- Payable on Death Accounts: How They Work and How to Claim OneHow a payable on death (POD) bank account works, how it avoids probate, FDIC limits, what can go wrong and how a beneficiary claims the money.
- Photo Storage After Death: How to Recover and Keep Photos in iCloud and Google PhotosHow to get a loved one's photos from iCloud, Google Photos and OneDrive after a death, what each company requires, and how to back them up safely.
- Power of Attorney and Funeral Arrangements: Who DecidesA power of attorney ends when the person dies. Learn who can legally arrange the funeral, what a former agent can still do and how to name a funeral agent.
- Probate Fees and Costs: What Estates Pay and How to Lower ItWhat probate costs in the US: court fees, attorney and executor pay, state fee schedules with real examples, and ways to keep an estate's costs down.
- Probate in the US: Step-by-Step Guide for ExecutorsHow probate works in the US, step by step: filing the will, getting letters, paying debts and taxes, key state differences and when to hire a lawyer.
- Selling a House After Death: Who Can Sell, Steps and TaxesWho can sell a house after the owner dies, whether you need probate first, what to do about the mortgage and insurance, and how the sale is taxed.
- Small Estate Probate: Limits by State and How It WorksMany states let families settle a small estate with a sworn affidavit, not full probate. See example limits by state, waiting periods and the steps to follow.
- Transfer on Death Deed: How It Works, Rules and StepsA transfer on death deed lets you leave a home to someone without probate and keep full ownership while alive. See state rules, steps, taxes and pitfalls.
- Twitter (X) After Death: How to Deactivate or Preserve an AccountWhat families can do with a deceased person's Twitter (X) account: X will not give out logins, but it can deactivate one. Documents and how to save posts.
- What Is an Executor? Duties, Pay and Personal Liability ExplainedAn executor is the person named in a will to settle an estate. See what they do, what they file, whether they're paid, and when they can be personally liable.
- What Is Probate? How It Works and When It's RequiredProbate is the court process that confirms a will, pays debts and passes on a person's property. See what goes through it, the steps, and when you can skip it.
- Who Gets the House When Someone Dies? How Property Passes to HeirsWho inherits a house depends on how it was owned: joint tenancy, a trust, a will or state law. See how each works, plus the mortgage, tax and sale basics.
- Wills and Funeral Wishes: How to Plan Both So Your Family Isn't Left GuessingA will handles your property and a separate document should hold your funeral wishes. See which documents you need, what each does and how to pay for it.