Do all estates have to go through probate?

The short answer is, no. You have to check your state and county for the  local rules, but in general, any estate that has a gross value of more than approximately $150,000 in personal property (assets consisting of tangible personal items, jewelry, bank accounts, cash, stocks, and  investments) or includes real estate gross valued at more than  approximately $50,000 has to go through the full probate process.

In most places, if the estate has a gross value less than a certain amount  it is considered a “small estate” and you can settle the estate outside of  court. These alternative options take less time and are much less  expensive. Keep in mind that these values  do not take into account any debts that were owed by the person who died.

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