I am in possession of a will that distributes the decedent’s estate to me, isn’t this all I need?

No. The will must be admitted to probate and the estate of the decedent must be “probated.”

What does “probate” actually mean?

Generally, probate is a court proceeding that administers the estate of an individual.

What is the purpose of “estate administration”?

Generally, there are five purposes, many of which have subsets to them:

1. To determine that the decedent is in fact dead,
2. To establish the validity of the will,
3. To identify the heirs and devisees of the decedent,
4. To settle any claims that creditors may have against the estate of the decedent, and
5. To distribute the property.

Who is the Public Administrator?

Generally speaking, a public administrator is a person or entity appointed by the State to act when there is no will or relatives.

What is the difference between “Testate” and “Intestate”?

When one is said to have died “Testate,” it means he or she died leaving a will. If one is said to have died “Intestate,” it means he or she died without leaving a will.

What is the difference between an executor and an administrator?

An “executor” carries out the directions and requests set forth in the decedent’s will. An “administrator” is appointed by the court to manage the estate of a decedent who dies intestate.

If there is no will, how is the property of the estate distributed?

Sections 6400 through 6414 of the California Probate Code address intestate succession and the distributions. The method and manner of intestate distributions is quite complex and therefore one should specifically discuss intestate distributions with his or her legal advisor.