Free Probate Guide by State & County
Losing someone is hard. Tell us your state and we will walk you through what to do next, free.
Not sure what you need?
Planning your own estate instead? Start the free estate-planning assessment
Where are you starting from?
Settled Estate helps with both sides of estate law: settling an estate after a death, and protecting your own.
Settle their estate
You're an executor or family member handling things after a death. You need to know what happens to their assets, whether probate is required, and what to do first.
- •Named as executor or personal representative
- •Not sure if probate is required
- •Handling the estate without a lawyer
Protect your own estate
Get your own affairs in order, for yourself or an aging parent, with a will, trust, power of attorney, or healthcare directive.
- •Want a will, trust, or power of attorney
- •A recent life change (marriage, child, home)
- •Helping an aging parent get organized
Free Probate Tools for Executors
Calculate fees, check if probate is needed, and get your estate checklist.
Do I Need Probate?
Answer a few questions to find out if probate is required and which process applies.
Start free assessmentFee Calculator
Estimate probate filing fees, attorney costs, and total expenses for your estate.
Calculate feesEstate Checklist
Step-by-step task list for executors and personal representatives.
View checklistLive in 38 states.
2,638 counties and counting.
Court-specific probate guidance: real filing fees, forms, and deadlines for your exact county. New states light up every month.
Popular states at a glance
Probate Guides & Articles
Browse all
Alabama Probate Guide
How the Alabama probate process works: county Probate Courts, letters testamentary, the five-year filing limit, and summary distribution for small estates.
How to Avoid Probate in Arizona
How to avoid probate in Arizona with a beneficiary deed, living trust, beneficiary designations, and joint ownership, plus Arizona's small-estate options.
Arkansas Probate Guide
Arkansas probate guide for the Circuit Court Probate Division, Circuit Clerk filing, letters testamentary, small estates, creditor claims, and timelines.
How to Avoid Probate in California: 7 Proven Strategies
How to avoid probate in California. Compare 7 strategies including living trusts, TOD deeds, and beneficiary designations with costs and requirements.
Colorado Probate Guide
How the Colorado probate process works: District Court and Denver Probate Court venue, informal vs formal probate, deadlines, costs, and the small estate path.
How to Avoid Probate in Connecticut
Connecticut has no transfer-on-death deed. Survivorship title, beneficiary forms, and a funded revocable trust are what keep property out of Probate Court.
Find Your County Probate Court Information
Get probate court contacts, filing fees, required forms, and step-by-step estate settlement guidance specific to your county.