Front Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Using Self-Help Law Books -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: An Overview -- Finding the Law and Using Court Forms -- Types of Property -- Assets that Must be Probated -- Assets that Do Not Have to be Probated -- The Personal Representative -- Income Taxes -- Estate and Inheritance Taxes -- Using a Lawyer -- Funeral Arrangements and Other Immediate Tasks -- Chapter 2: Transferring Nonprobate Assets -- Joint Tenancy -- P.O.D. Bank Acconts and T.O.D. Brokerage Accounts -- Life Insurance, Annuities, Pensions, IRAs, and Private Retirement Accounts -- Totten Trust Account -- Living Trust -- Property Passing to a Surviving Spouse -- Small Estate Distribution -- Chapter 3: Starting Probate Proceedings -- Waiver of Right to Act as a Personal Representative -- Preparing the Petition for Probate -- Proof of Subscribing Witness Form and Proof of Holographic Instrument -- Chapter 4: The Hearing -- Notice of the Hearing -- The Hearing -- Order for Probate -- Duties and Liabilities of the Personal Representative -- Bond -- Letters -- Chapter 5: Personal Representative's Initial Steps -- Understanding Fiduciary Duty -- Marshaling Estate Assets -- Request for Special Notice -- Chapter 6: Inventory and Appraisal -- Types of Inventory and Appraisals -- Preparing the Inventory and Appraisal -- Submitting the Inventory and Appraisal to the Probate Referee -- Filing the Inventory and Appraisal -- Chapter 7: Handling Creditors' Claims -- Duty to Ascertain Creditors -- Informal Payment of Debts -- Giving Written Notice to Creditors -- Claims Not Covered by the Regular Rules -- Filing the Creditor's Claim -- Allowing or Rejecting a Creditor's Claim -- Contesting Allowance or Rejection of Claim -- Informal Resolution of Rejected Claims -- Judgments -- Chapter 8: Family Protection -- Temporary Family Protection.

Exempt Property -- Probate Homestead -- Family Allowance -- Small Estate Set Aside -- Chapter 9: Independent Administration of Estates Act -- Actions that Cannot be taken under the IAEA -- Actions that Can be taken under the IAEA -- Chapter 10: Sales -- Published Notice of Sale -- Court Approval of Sales -- Personal Property Sales -- Real Property Sales -- Chapter 11: Taxes -- Income Taxes -- Income Tax Basis Adjustment -- Estate Taxes -- Conclusion -- Chapter 12: Final Distribution -- Final Distribution and Closing the Estate -- Notice of the Hearing -- The Hearing -- Order Settling Final Account -- Final Distribution -- Glossary -- Appendix A: Sample Filled-in Forms -- Appendix B: Blank Forms -- Index -- Ad Pages -- Back Cover.