Small Estate Affidavit Limits by State
Compare small estate limits, creditor periods, what counts toward the threshold, and when real estate changes the answer.
Read article →Everything You Need
After Losing a Loved One
Calm, step-by-step help for the first hours, funeral decisions, paperwork, probate, estate settlement, and the grief that follows.
Need the full overview? Read the complete guide →
What Are You Trying to Handle Right Now?
You do not need to read everything at once. Choose the path that matches what you are trying to handle today.
I just lost someone
Start with the first calls, death certificates, funeral decisions, and the tasks that can wait.
Start here →Do I need probate?
Answer a few questions about assets, beneficiaries, and ownership before opening a court process.
Take the quiz →I am the executor
Work through estate tasks in order, from documents and notices to debts, taxes, and final distributions.
Open checklist →I need state rules
Find probate, small-estate, creditor, tax, and healthcare document rules for the state involved.
Choose a state →Tools for the Next Decision
Use these when you need a clearer answer than another long article can give.
Probate Quiz
See whether an estate is likely to need probate, simplified procedures, or no court process.
Start quiz →Probate Cost Estimator
Estimate court fees, attorney fees, executor fees, and timeline based on state and estate value.
Estimate costs →Executor Checklist
Get the main executor tasks in order, with state-specific context where it matters.
Open checklist →Funeral Cost Calculator
Compare burial, cremation, memorial service, and direct cremation cost ranges.
Compare costs →Browse the Complete Guide
Use the guide when you want the whole process in order, or jump to one of the core sections below.
First 24 Hours
What to do immediately after a death — who to call, in what order, and what can wait.
Read section →Funeral & Memorial
How to choose a funeral home, understand costs, and plan a meaningful service without overspending.
Read section →Documents & Certificates
How many death certificates you need, where to get them, and which documents to track down first.
Read section →Legal & Estate
Probate explained, executor duties, what to do with a will — or without one.
Read section →Find the Rules for Your State
Probate, small-estate limits, creditor timelines, estate taxes, and healthcare document rules change by state. Start local before filing forms.
Popular Probate Guides
See all articles →Probate Lawyer Cost by State
Planning ranges for probate attorney fees, how lawyers charge, and when legal help is worth the estate cost.
Read article →How to Avoid Probate
Living trusts, beneficiary designations, TOD deeds, joint ownership, and small-estate shortcuts — what each option covers.
Read article →