Probate/Trust Administration

Probate refers to the legal process by which, upon your death, your assets are distributed to your heirs according to your terms in your Last Will and Testament, which is prepared according to New Hampshire and Vermont law, only assets titled in an individual's name need to be probated. Assets that are in the name of a trustee, are jointly titled, or are accounts that name a beneficiary other than "the estate" do not need to be probated.

It is a common misconception that assets are probated only if they are part of a taxable estate. In fact, all assets titled solely in your name must be probated if there is no designated beneficiary on an account or policy, regardless of whether or not your estate is taxable.

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