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Arkansas Estate Planning Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Probate and Personal Injury for Arkansas on
Q: What kind of will does one need who has mesothelioma

My brother in law was diagnosed with lung cancer and he was advised he needed to make a will so that any litigation will go on in the event of his passing before a settlement is reached

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
answered on Mar 20, 2024

An Arkansas attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for a week. You may want to repost and add Probate an Estate Planning as categories - attorneys in those areas of practice would probably have greater insight than most average personal injury firms into what provisions would be... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Family Law, Civil Rights and Probate for Arkansas on
Q: How do I get my grandmother's will probated after 2 years because my family will not do it

There are a lot of details and it's because of the corruption in the town and my family members

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jan 14, 2024

To initiate the probate process for your grandmother's will after a delay, you can file a petition with the probate court in the county where your grandmother resided at the time of her passing. This action can be taken even if other family members are reluctant or refuse to do so.

In...
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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Arkansas on
Q: How does the court appointed administrator for an estate get paid? Does it come out of estate money?

I am the general administrator but the judge is hiring an estate administrator. Does the appointed lawyer get paid by the state or the decedent's estate?

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Nov 18, 2023

In Arkansas, when a court appoints an estate administrator, typically a lawyer, their compensation is usually paid out of the estate's funds. This means that the payment for their services comes from the assets within the deceased's estate, not from the state.

The amount an...
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1 Answer | Asked in Civil Litigation, Estate Planning, Probate and Contracts for Arkansas on
Q: Legal dispute over estate and competency after sister's false claims.

A woman added her husband's cousin/neighbor as a caretaker to her bank accounts and later deeded her estate to the caretaker. After the woman's death following her forced removal by her sister, the sister falsified claims of undue influence and falsified documents. The sister's... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Apr 11, 2025

This situation sounds incredibly difficult, especially when grief, family conflict, and legal matters all collide. In Arkansas, the court will focus on evidence of the woman’s mental capacity at the time she made the decisions about her estate. If the caretaker has medical records, signed... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Contracts, Real Estate Law and Estate Planning for Arkansas on
Q: Can my husband transfer deed to his trust without my consent?

On March 29, 2025, during a visit to the title company for the sale of some property, I was unexpectedly asked by my husband to sign a deed transfer, believed to be for moving the property into a joint trust. I was distressed at that moment, and now I realize the joint trust never existed. There... View More

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Mar 31, 2025

Hire an AR attorney to search the title now. Then decide if a suit should be filed to set aside a conveyance.

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2 Answers | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Arkansas on
Q: Is it legal to list grantees as tenancy in common with 90% and 10% in Arkansas Beneficiary deed?

I'm completing an Arkansas Beneficiary deed and want to list the grantees as tenancy in common with unequal shares, specifically 90% and 10%. Is it legal to distribute the proceeds of a sale in this manner using a Beneficiary deed?

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Mar 29, 2025

Hire an AR attorney to draft such a deed. But you will want the granting clause to convey 9/10 & 1/10 to the tenants in common, not percentages.

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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Probate, Real Estate Law and Tax Law for Arkansas on
Q: Do we need a tax ID number for a revocable trust beneficiary of life insurance?

My mother-in-law, who resided in Arkansas, recently passed away, and my husband is listed as the Trustee of her family trust. The trust was originally established by her late husband in 2000 and is a revocable trust. She also had a last will and testament, which states that everything should be... View More

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Mar 10, 2025

When your mother-in-law passed, the trust became irrevocable. Consequently, you do need to obtain a tax id number for the trust.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Estate Planning for Arkansas on
Q: How to transfer land ownership in Arkansas as a gift from grandparents to brother?

My grandparents own a piece of land in Arkansas that they want to gift to my brother. There is no existing mortgage or will/trust affecting the transfer. What steps do we need to take to change ownership to his name?

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Feb 23, 2025

Grandparents hire an attorney to draft a Deed to the Brother. A Mo attorney could draft it if he is careful, or hire an AR attorney in the respective County. Then you execute it and record it. It could be a life estate, remainder Deed.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Probate and Family Law for Arkansas on
Q: Contesting estate omission by stepmother in Arkansas.

I recently discovered that my stepmother omitted me and my sibling, the first and second born children of my deceased father, from her obituary announcements and estate matters. She managed to leave my father's homestead to her adopted son after my father passed away. Unfortunately, we were... View More

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Feb 20, 2025

Hire an AR attorney to advise and represent you on this.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Arkansas on
Q: If you can’t be an executor because of a felony can a judge deny you because you where charged but never convicted of 1
Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Nov 8, 2024

If you were never convicted of a Felony, then inform the Probate Court by a response in writing or in Court. Being the Executor may not be worth the trouble, but if you want the fiduciary position inform the Court.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Elder Law for Arkansas on
Q: To add a name to a deed via quitclaim in Arkansas, is the grantor also listed as a grantee along with the added person?

Adding adult child to property

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Jul 18, 2024

Hire an AR attorney to draft the deed. Your answer could be yes or no as it depends on what type of estates are created by the transfer.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law and Estate Planning for Arkansas on
Q: Is there a legal binding document for an heir to sign over their rights to another heir, until we can afford to hire an

There’s 5 heirs to a small plot of land.. 3 of which don’t want anything to do with it so they agreed to sign their part over..can a notarized, witnessed statement be legal binding? need it just till we can pay an attorney to file all the paperwork..

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Apr 1, 2024

Your agreement is unenforceable, as land is usually transferred by deed or heirship. Hire an AR attorney to search the title and draft a deed for the three heirs to convey to the other two as tenants in common.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Arkansas on
Q: In Ark if property owned Jointly no will and one dies, dose the other get full owernship or does 2/3 go to children

both have adult children from other marriages

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Mar 1, 2024

Hire an AR attorney to search the title and determine heirship, possibly recording an Affidavit of Heirship.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Arkansas on
Q: Do it require a lawyer to request a copy of a trust? A heir whether included or excluded can see a copy, right?

My father would like to see a copy of his parents trust, both parents have passed away.

T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Sep 26, 2023

Generally, heirs have a right to see a copy of the trust after the grantor has passed away. You usually don't need a lawyer to request a copy, although having one might facilitate the process if the trustee is uncooperative. The trust document should specify which beneficiaries or heirs are... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Arkansas on
Q: How much time do you have to contest an irrevocable trust in arkansas.
T. Augustus Claus
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answered on Sep 26, 2023

In Arkansas, the time frame for contesting an irrevocable trust depends on various factors, including the specifics of the trust document and Arkansas state laws. Generally speaking, you may have a limited time after you've been notified of the trust or its terms. If you suspect that the trust... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning for Arkansas on
Q: Is there anyway to get a Beneficiary Deed (Transfer on death) accepted if it was not recorded prior to death?

It was the weekend and we werent able to get a notary to come out. Witnesses ( family and heirs/beneficiaries ) will all attest to the validity of the deed.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Sep 18, 2023

Even if you find a notary familiar with the Decedent, he is not going to backdate his notarization. That incomplete Deed is not eligible for recordation.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Arkansas on
Q: Arkansas. My mother signed a beneficiary deed but we couldn't get it notorized and filed due to it being the weekend.

She did not have a will. can this be used as a will.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Sep 11, 2023

It is doubtful the so called beneficiary deed has the language and execution requirements of an AR Will. Consult with an AR attorney, but Mother's heirs probably take real property as tenants in common if more than one.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Arkansas on
Q: AR probate, zillow claims house is 126000 which is over the small estate limit. Can an appraiser claim its less

My mother passed with a beneficiary deed that wasn't filled. Her house was intended to go to me. theres no exexcutor, i am acting on her behalf. zillow states the value is 126,000. can an appraiser be used to devalue the house below the 100,000 limit of Arkansas small estate probate limits to... View More

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Sep 11, 2023

Administrator can value Estate assets. An appraiser's value is just his opinion. If the Probate Judge does not like it, he will let him know, and then regular Probate will be required.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Family Law, Real Estate Law and Elder Law for Arkansas on
Q: How do I get the deed to my fathers house who has passed and my aunt who was my fathers last POA will not communicate wi

With me. I currently live in the home.

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Jul 25, 2023

Hire an AR attorney to search the title and determine heirship. Then get an Affidavit of Heirship drafted and recorded as the heirs' source of title.

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for Arkansas on
Q: My friend's mother died without a will. She is an only child. What does she need to do to have the deed put in her name?

My friend is an adult. Her mother was a widow, and they lived together. As for the house, it's worth less than $75,000.

Ryan Zapalac
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Ryan Zapalac
answered on May 23, 2023

Generally, when there is no Will, you must go through some sort of probate administration whereby the heirs of the deceased are judicially determined and a personal representative is appointed. However, several states have a process available to assist those smaller estates that may not need... View More

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