Estate Planning and Probate

A beneficiary is a person or entity entitled to receive property, money, or another benefit under a legal arrangement.

This section explains planning and inheritance terms that shape wills, trusts, probate administration, and authority over property or personal decisions.

An executor is the person named to administer an estate under a will, subject to court oversight where required.

Intestate means a person died without a valid will controlling the distribution of the estate.

A living will is a document stating a person's wishes about certain medical treatment decisions if the person cannot communicate them later.

A power of attorney is a legal document authorizing one person to act on another person's behalf in specified matters.

Probate is the legal process for administering a deceased person's estate under court supervision when required.

A trust is a legal arrangement in which one party holds or manages property for the benefit of another under stated terms.

A will is a legal document that states how a person wants property and certain responsibilities handled after death.