State-by-State Guide

Select your state

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Washington D.C.

What each state guide covers

The estate value above which formal probate is required — and what happens to estates below it.

Per-copy cost for certified death certificates from the state vital records office, plus ordering process.

Affidavit procedures, summary administration, and other ways to avoid full probate for smaller estates.

Whether the state levies its own estate or inheritance tax, and the relevant thresholds.

Vital records office, probate court locator, and other state-specific resources.

State-specific laws that differ meaningfully from the national norm — community property, homestead rules, and more.

Planning ahead?

Get your own affairs in order.

Wills, advance directives, digital estate, and everything else that should be documented before it needs to be.