Section 8-105 of the Estates & Trusts Code governs priority of payments from an estate:(a) If the applicable assets of the estate are insufficient to pay all claims in full, the personal representative shall make payment in the following order:

(1) Fees due to the register;

(2)... View More

You should probably have a consult with a lawyer to review the will, if any, and the petition for probate and inventory. Perhaps you should be a co-personal representative or insist on notices or file a claim.

A lawyer can be very helpful in sorting these things out, but, generally, the clothing of the deceased has very little economic value. It is most often donated to a homeless shelter or Salvation Army, and the proceeds are insignificant. The leftover food in the house is worth even less, and you... View More

It's not that simple. When a person dies, any assets they own becomes property of their estate, whether or not a formal estate has been filed and opened. Financial institutions like banks will freeze and lock the accounts of any account holder whom they learn has died, and will only allow... View More

To get specific legal advice on a particular estate you may want to reach out to an estate attorney for a consultation.

To answer the general question "Does [a] PR need permission from the court to settle?" Usually no, under most circumstances a Personal Representative in... View More

Objections (or, "exceptions") to an account may be made within 20 days following the court's notice approving the account. Note, this is not 20 days after receiving a copy of the account that has yet to be approved. In many cases, the audit department raises issues and requires... View More

Most all documents filed in an estate are a matter of public record. The court may, in rare situations, seal documents which are not open to the public.

If you have questions about a specific filed document not showing up in the docket it would probably be best to direct the question to... View More

Unless there is some malfeasance or basis to object to the PR's handling of the estate or performance as PR, then there is little reason to hire a lawyer. It will simply cost you money. Lawyers charge by the hour, and that can range depending on how experienced the lawyer is. A couple to... View More

The notices required to be mailed to interested persons by law are set forth in the Estates & Trusts Code and the Procedural Rules of Maryland. They are limited, but you will receive copies of any Accounts filed in the estate. However, all court proceedings and filings in an estate are open... View More

No. The final distributions are made in accordance with the final account filed and approved by the court. Written exceptions to the account are filed by any interested person and resolved by the court, if any are filed. That is not to say that a distribution plan cannot be agreed upon by all... View More

No. The PR merely has to account for the proceeds of the sale in the accounting (periodic and/or final accounts) and costs of sale. Distributions cannot be made to the estate heirs/legatees until after the final account is audited approved. The sale should be for fair market value, unless all... View More

This appears like a conclusion rather than a question. However, to the extent this is a question asking whether a Personal Representative can/should avoid appraising an asset to avoid tax, that would be a very ill-advised course of action. A Personal Representative has an obligation to appraise... View More

Generally speaking, the PR is supposed to report a value to all personal property, but a formal appraisal may or may not be required depending on the nature of the items. A coin collection can be valuable or of no particular value, so if it is worth thousands of dollars, an appraisal is probably... View More

Assuming the "family home" is in the probate estate, then yes, a Personal Representative of an estate can usually sell the property without getting permission from other family members. However, the Personal Representative must report the sale to the court and get the court to sign off... View More

If all interested parties agree that you should be paid, you should be able to work it out as either a claim or a partial renunciation. This is a matter to be discussed with the personal representative or the lawyer.

You can amend the inventory value based either on the tax assessed value or an appraisal by a certified real estate appraiser (not just a real estate agent doing a valuation—must be a certified appraisal). The tax basis in the Property is fixed as of the date of death regardless of whether the... View More

If the souse was purchased during the marriage, you can file a corrective deed by presenting the marriage certificate and the death certificate of the title holder and preparing the deed. That's sometimes helpful in keeping the title clean. If she was not married at the time of purchase, the... View More

I need to attach my disclaimer to the bottom of this answer, because there is a teeny tiny chance that this advice will be wrong for you, but in 37 years of practice it hasn't been. I have seen bond called in a case exactly once in those 37 years. Other than that weird time, it is a protection... View More

It depends on the Survivorship Clause of the Will. The murderer is, of course, excluded, but his heirs are not. If the Will contains a fairly common clause that defines a person as predeceased if they die within 60 days of the testator, then the murderer is considered to have pre-deceased. If the... View More

A simple will is the cheapest most reasonable flat fee most lawyers charge, so please go to a lawyer for this basic necessity and insure that not only the will itself meets the necessary requirements to be legally valid, but also that the will actually distributes your assets how you would want.... View More