Other Family Issues

questions & answers

Question: I was my mother's guardian/conservator. It's been 2 years that she passed away. She didn't have a will. My understanding is, I can't file informal probate. I NEED HELP, PLEASE

Answer: What you do depends on the size of your mother's estate. Arizona law allows for the transfer of small estates by affidavit. If all her personal property (cars, jewelry, bank accounts, stocks, etc.) are worth $75,000 or less, and if any real estate she owns has an assessed value of $100,000 or less, you can use the affidavit process. You will find all the forms and instructions on the Arizona Superior Court website under the self-help section. Find the probate section and follow the instructions. If the estate is larger, then you will need to do a probate. Unless there are arguments over the division of assets, you can use the court's website and instructions to probate the estate. The court's website is: www.azcourts.gov.