Minnesota: Mortgage and Utility Responsibilities During Probate
Detailed Answer Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a Minnesota probate attorney about your situation. Who is responsible for mortgage and utility bills after a person dies? When someone dies in Minnesota, their debts do not disappear. The decedent’s estate — the assets they owned at death — is generally responsible for […]
Read article →Minnesota: How to Choose Which Assets to List on a Small‑Estate Affidavit
Understanding which assets to list on a Minnesota small‑estate affidavit Disclaimer This information is educational only and is not legal advice. I am not a lawyer. For advice about a specific estate, consult a licensed Minnesota probate attorney. Detailed answer — what to list (and what to leave off) under Minnesota law Minnesota allows certain […]
Read article →Finding a Missing Parent During Probate in Minnesota
Detailed Answer This answer explains practical steps and Minnesota probate law concepts to help a next-of-kin locate a missing parent when handling a probate matter. It assumes you are the person who will open or is administering the estate (the personal representative or a likely heir). This is educational only and not legal advice. Legal […]
Read article →Minnesota — Do survivorship assets need to be included on a probate inventory?
Short answer Generally no. Assets that pass automatically to a surviving owner by right of survivorship (for example, joint tenancy or tenancy by the entirety) usually pass outside probate in Minnesota and are not part of the decedent’s probate inventory. However, you should confirm titles, beneficiary designations, and local court requirements and consult an attorney […]
Read article →How to Check Bank Account Value for Minnesota Small Estate Process
How to confirm a bank account is small enough to use Minnesota's small estate process Short answer (FAQ): To determine whether a decedent’s bank account is under the monetary limit for Minnesota’s small estate affidavit, you must (1) determine the account balance on the date of death, (2) determine whether the account is a probate […]
Read article →Using a Small Estate Affidavit in Minnesota to Claim a Deceased Parent’s Bank Account
Detailed Answer This answer explains how Minnesota’s simplified procedures for small estates can let a close family member collect a deceased person’s bank account without full probate. It assumes you are the person entitled to claim the funds (for example, the decedent’s heir or an appointed personal representative). This is a general guide only — […]
Read article →Minnesota: Do I Need to File Federal Estate or Income Tax Returns for an Estate When No Distributions Were Made?
Detailed Answer — Federal and Minnesota filing basics for an estate Short answer: Not necessarily. Whether you must file a federal estate tax return (Form 706) or a federal income tax return for the estate (Form 1041) depends on separate tests: the size of the decedent’s gross estate and the estate’s gross income during the […]
Read article →Minnesota — Transferring Brokerage Account Assets into an Estate Checking Account
Overview This article explains, in plain language, how brokerage account assets are moved into an estate checking account under Minnesota law. It walks through the common paths (beneficiary designations, joint accounts, probate, and small‑estate collection) and the documents brokers typically require. This is educational information only and not legal advice. Detailed Answer 1. Identify how […]
Read article →Selling a Co-Owned Property in Minnesota to Cover Funeral and Property Taxes — FAQ
Short answer If you need cash from a co-owned property in Minnesota to pay funeral costs and property taxes, your main options are: (1) reach a voluntary agreement with the co-owners to sell or buy out an interest; (2) have the property sold by the estate’s personal representative if the decedent’s share is part of […]
Read article →Minnesota: How to Find Out Where the Sale Proceeds from a Deceased Parent’s House Will Go
Understanding Who Gets the Money When a Minnesota House Is Sold FAQ-style guide to tracing sale proceeds under Minnesota law. This is educational information only and not legal advice. Detailed answer — how to figure out where sale proceeds will go When a home is sold, the cash from the sale does not simply go […]
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