When An Estate Is Too Small For Probate
It was a Tuesday evening. Talk radio voices floated through the kitchen air while I prepared dinner. Host: Welcome Randy from New York, what's your question? Caller: Hey, glad I got through. I've got a question for you. My aunt died and I'm taking care of her affairs. She had a retirement account, and a car with a loan on it. How do I sell the car and pay the loan? Host: Well, looks like you'll be doing a probate. Not much there, one retirement account, one car, and a loan you gotta pay before you distribute anything. Now I'm no lawyer, but seems like you'll have to open a probate.....geesh, unless there is someway around it, but how are you gonna sell the car and sign the title. Maybe you need a lawyer.... Caller: Thanks, I'll see what I can do. Why I thought they'd hear me, I do not know. One, this was radio, and two, it was an archived show. But that didn't stop me: YOU NEED A SMALL ESTATE AFFIDAVIT. STATES HAV...