We are expanding this section into broader state-by-state guides that cover probate plus the other rules families usually need most. Start with the full guides below, or use the probate quick guides for all 50 states further down the page.
Arizona
Probate, community property, small-estate shortcuts, wills, advance directives, and key Arizona transfer rules.
Full GuideCalifornia
Probate, community property, Medi-Cal recovery, wills, directives, and common California-specific estate rules.
Full GuideFlorida
Summary administration, homestead, wills, directives, Medicaid recovery, and the estate rules families ask about most.
Full GuideIllinois
Probate, small-estate affidavits, Illinois estate tax, wills, directives, and transfer-on-death planning tools.
Full GuideNew York
Probate, small-estate rules, estate taxes, wills, directives, and the key steps families face after a death.
Full GuideNew Jersey
Probate, inheritance tax, wills, directives, small-estate shortcuts, and practical estate questions families face first.
Full GuideOhio
Probate Court procedures, release from administration, spouse-specific shortcuts, directives, and transfer-on-death tools.
Full GuidePennsylvania
Inheritance tax, probate timing, wills, directives, and the Pennsylvania rules that change estate planning most.
Full GuideTexas
Independent administration, community property, small-estate affidavits, Medicaid recovery, and key Texas estate rules.
Full GuideWashington
Nonintervention probate, community property, estate tax, small-estate affidavits, wills, and Washington-specific transfer rules.
Full GuideGeorgia
Probate Court, Year's Support for surviving spouses, small-estate rules, wills, advance directives, and key Georgia estate rules.
Full GuideMassachusetts
Probate, the $2 million state estate tax, voluntary administration, Health Care Proxy, and the rules families face most.
Full GuideMichigan
Probate Court, small-estate affidavit, assignment of estate, Patient Advocate Designation, spousal rights, and vehicle transfer.
Full GuideNorth Carolina
Clerk of Superior Court probate, small-estate affidavit, spousal elective share, advance directives, and vehicle transfer rules.
Full GuideTennessee
No state estate tax, $50,000 small-estate affidavit, Chancery Court probate, advance care plan, and Tennessee transfer rules.
Full GuideVirginia
Circuit Court probate, $50,000 small-estate affidavit, TOD deeds, Virginia AMD, spousal elective share, and Medicaid recovery.
Full GuideColorado
UPC-based informal probate, $86,000 small-estate threshold, TOD deeds, Medical POA, spousal rights, and Medicaid recovery rules.
Full GuideIndiana
No estate or inheritance tax, $50,000 small-estate affidavit, TOD deeds, health care representative, and Medicaid recovery.
Full GuideMaryland
Orphans' Court probate, state estate tax over $5M, 10% inheritance tax on non-lineal heirs, Maryland AMD, and Medicaid recovery.
Full GuideMinnesota
UPC probate, $3 million state estate tax, $75,000 small-estate threshold, Health Care Directive, and expanded Medicaid recovery.
Full GuideMissouri
Probate Court, $40,000 threshold, refusal to administer shortcut, DPAHC + Declaration, TOD deeds, and Medicaid recovery rules.
Full GuideWisconsin
Marital property state, $50,000 small-estate affidavit, survivorship marital property, POA for Health Care, and expanded Medicaid recovery.
Full GuideAlabama
County Probate Court, $25,000 small-estate affidavit, spousal elective share, advance directive, and Medicaid recovery rules.
Full GuideConnecticut
Local town Probate Courts, unified estate and gift tax ($13.61M+), $40,000 small-estate threshold, and advance directive rules.
Full GuideKentucky
No estate tax but inheritance tax on non-close relatives (4–16%), $15,000 small-estate threshold, and Living Will Directive rules.
Full GuideLouisiana
Civil law state — "succession" not probate, $125,000 threshold, community property, forced heirship for minor children, notarial wills.
Full GuideOklahoma
$50,000 small-estate affidavit, summary administration for spouses, TOD deeds, no estate tax, and SoonerCare Medicaid recovery.
Full GuideOregon
State estate tax starting at $1 million, $275,000 small-estate threshold (no real property), TOD deeds, no holographic wills.
Full GuideArkansas
$100,000 small-estate affidavit, Warning to Creditors publication, dower/curtesy spousal rights, no estate tax.
Full GuideIowa
No estate or inheritance tax (fully repealed 2025), $25,000 threshold, summary administration option, expanded Medicaid recovery.
Full GuideMississippi
Chancery Court probate, $12,500 small-estate threshold (one of the lowest in the US), holographic wills recognized, dower/curtesy rights.
Full GuideNevada
Community property state, no estate tax, $25,000 affidavit, spousal set-aside procedure, summary vs. general administration.
Full GuideSouth Carolina
$25,000 small-estate affidavit, broad spousal elective share covering non-probate assets, no estate tax, SC Advance Directive.
Full GuideUtah
UPC informal probate, $100,000 small-estate threshold, Utah AHCD combined directive, no estate tax, TOD deeds recognized.
Full GuideKansas
UPC-influenced probate, $40,000 small-estate threshold, no estate tax, DPOA-HC plus Declaration advance directive, TOD deeds recognized.
Full GuideNebraska
County Court probate (unusual), $50,000 small-estate threshold, inheritance tax 1–18% depending on relationship, no separate estate tax.
Full GuideNew Mexico
Community property state, UPC informal probate, $50,000 small-estate threshold, combined advance directive form, no estate tax.
Full GuideWest Virginia
County Commission clerk handles probate (not a court), $50,000 small-estate threshold, no estate tax, Medical POA plus Living Will directive.
Full GuideIdaho
Community property state, UPC informal probate, $100,000 small-estate threshold, combined advance directive form, no estate tax.
Full GuideNew Hampshire
Circuit Court Probate Division, $25,000 waiver of administration, no estate tax, DPOA-HC plus Living Will, TOD deeds recognized.
Full GuideMaine
Maine Probate Court, $40,000 small-estate threshold, state estate tax above $6.8M, holographic wills valid, 9–12 month creditor period.
Full GuideMontana
UPC informal administration, $50,000 affidavit threshold, no estate tax, holographic wills valid, MCA Title 72 statutes.
Full GuideRhode Island
39 municipal Probate Courts, $15,000 small-estate threshold, state estate tax above ~$1.7M, no holographic wills, Durable POA for health care.
Full GuideDelaware
Register of Wills in each county, $30,000 summary administration, estate tax repealed 2018, DMOST orders, no holographic wills.
Full GuideSouth Dakota
UPC state, $50,000 affidavit threshold, no estate or income tax, holographic wills valid, SDCL Title 29A statutes.
Full GuideNorth Dakota
UPC informal administration, $50,000 affidavit threshold, no estate tax, holographic wills valid, ND Century Code Title 30.1.
Full GuideAlaska
UPC state with opt-in community property (AS 34.77), $50,000 affidavit threshold, no state estate tax, holographic wills recognized.
Full GuideVermont
Voluntary administration under $45,000, Probate Division of Superior Court, no estate tax, no holographic wills, 14 VSA statutes.
Full GuideWyoming
Highest small-estate threshold nationally at $200,000, no state estate or income tax, holographic wills valid, Wyo. Stat. Title 2.
Full GuideHawaii
UPC state, $100,000 affidavit threshold, state estate tax above $5.49M with portability, holographic wills valid, HRS Chapter 560.