Under Title 58 of Oklahoma’s statutes, an interested party may contest a will within three months of its submission to the probate court. Filing a claim, however, requires evidence, and it could lengthen the probate process. If an interested party claims to have proof...
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Probate and Trust Administration
The process of probate
In Oklahoma, when a person passes away, their assets and property must go through a legal process known as probate. Probate is a court-supervised process that ensures paying the deceased person's debts and giving their assets to the beneficiaries named in their will....
Retirements accounts might go through probate in Oklahoma
When a person in Oklahoma dies, their estate goes through probate. This is a legal process that determines how the deceased's beneficiaries will inherit their assets. In some cases, a judge might include the retirement accounts in the deceased's estate and subject...
Strategies for steering clear of the probate process
The death of a relative inevitably brings a host of tasks such as planning a funeral, notifying family members and tending to the immediate needs of grieving loved ones, but after all of that comes the difficult process of handling the departed person's estate. Given...
United Methodist congregations and disaffiliation
The leadership of some United Methodist churches in Oklahoma and across the country are aware of the possibility of disaffiliating from their denomination. One thing that could prevent these congregations from leaving is concern over ownership of a congregation's real...
State requirements for ancillary probate
Ancillary probate is required when an individual from another state dies and owns property in Oklahoma. This court process allows non-state residents to transfer the ownership of their property to the right heirs and beneficiaries. The procedure is different from the...
Should you set up a bypass trust?
Oklahoma residents with significant wealth prepare estate plans to ensure that their assets will be correctly managed and distributed after death. Worried couples often express concern about how to ensure that the surviving spouse inherits assets without also becoming...
Here’s when wills get probated in Oklahoma
When a person dies, their will may go through a legal process called probate. This is a way for the court to determine if the will is valid and to give instructions on how the deceased person's assets should be distributed. Probate can be a lengthy and expensive...
Important information about summary probate
Assets that are left behind in a deceased person's estate must generally be probated. In Oklahoma, it may be possible to streamline the process if certain criteria are met. This may help to ease the emotional burden of those tasked with settling the affairs of a...
How should you react if you’re left off of a will?
Assets retained inside of a decedent's estate may be subject to Oklahoma probate laws. The probate process either verifies the decedent's will or decides how property should be distributed if that person died intestate. If a valid will is presented to a probate judge,...