13 Modules · Self-Paced
The full course, start to finish.
A complete guide to probate, wherever you're starting. Filter by your situation, or browse everything.
Showing all 13 modules
Module 0Welcome & How This Course Works
Core video0.1 · What This Course Will Do for YouComing soon
Go deeper — 4 more lessons in this module ▾
0.2 · Key Probate Terms Explained Simply
0.3 · The Probate Roadmap
0.5 · Who's Who: The People You'll Encounter
0.6 · Glossary
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Module 1First Steps After a Death
Quick start1.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video1.1 · What to Do ImmediatelyComing soon
Go deeper — 4 more lessons in this module ▾
1.2 · The First 48 Hours: Practical Checklist
1.3 · Funerals and the Estate
1.4 · How to Locate the Will
1.5 · Utility Accounts and Household Services
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Checklist · 1 pageThe First 10 Days ChecklistA one-page list of what has to happen right away after a death, and what can safely wait.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageDeath Certificate TrackerTrack who has a certified copy, and whether you got it back.Download PDF ↓Template · 2 pagesNotification LettersFill-in letters to tell a bank, an insurer, or a utility that someone has died.Download PDF ↓Template · 1 pagePet Care LetterCare instructions a caregiver can follow right away.Download PDF ↓
Module 2Understanding Probate
Quick start2.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video2.1 · What Probate Court Is and Why It ExistsComing soon
Go deeper — 6 more lessons in this module ▾
2.2 · What Goes Through Probate — and What Doesn't
2.3 · How to File the Will with the Court
2.4 · What Letters Testamentary Are — and Why Nothing Moves Without Them
2.5 · Court Timelines — What to Expect and When
2.6 · When There Is No Will
2.7 · Contested Wills — What Happens When Someone Objects
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Guide · 2 pagesFinding Your Probate CourtWhich court handles probate, how to find it, and what its self-help center can do.Download PDF ↓Links · All 50 states and DCFind help in your stateWhich court handles probate where you live, with links to official court, state bar, and free legal aid websites.Choose your state →Tracker · 1 pageEstate Deadline CalendarEvery date the court, an attorney, or an agency gives you.Download PDF ↓Guide · 2 pagesAsking for a Court InterpreterHow to ask for language help, with a card to show at the clerk's window.Download PDF ↓
Module 3When the Person You Depended On Is Gone
Quick start3.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video3.1 · When the Person Who Ran Everything Is GoneComing soon
Go deeper — 13 more lessons in this module ▾
3.2 · Social Security Survivor Benefits
3.3 · Pension and Retirement Income
3.4 · Life Insurance Proceeds
3.5 · Joint Account Access
3.6 · SSI/SSDI — What Stops and What Continues
3.7 · SNAP, Medicaid, and Other Public Benefits
3.8 · How to Report a Death to Government Agencies
3.9 · Lease and Rental Agreements
3.10 · Homeownership — What Happens to the Mortgage
3.11 · Banks, Credit Unions, and Financial Accounts
3.12 · Insurance Policies — Health, Auto, Homeowners
3.13 · Finding Interpretation Services
3.14 · When They Were the One Who Knew How
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Template · 2 pagesNotification LettersFill-in letters to tell a bank, an insurer, or a utility that someone has died.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageDeath Certificate TrackerTrack who has a certified copy, and whether you got it back.Download PDF ↓Info sheet · 2 pagesWhen a Creditor CallsWhat federal law says about debt collectors and a loved one's debts, plus a call log.Download PDF ↓Guide · 2 pagesAsking for a Court InterpreterHow to ask for language help, with a card to show at the clerk's window.Download PDF ↓
Module 4Executor Duties
Quick start4.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video4.1 · After Appointment: Your First StepsComing soon
Go deeper — 9 more lessons in this module ▾
4.2 · What Being an Executor Actually Requires
4.3 · When Executors Fail — and How to Remove Them
4.4 · How Executors Access Accounts
4.5 · Identifying All Assets
4.6 · Identifying All Debts
4.7 · Publishing Notice to Creditors
4.8 · Paying Debts in the Correct Legal Order
4.9 · Executor Compensation
4.10 · Working with a Probate Attorney
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Tracker · 2 pagesExecutor's Document TrackerDocuments, accounts, and key deadlines in one place.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageEstate Deadline CalendarEvery date the court, an attorney, or an agency gives you.Download PDF ↓Info sheet · 2 pagesWhen a Creditor CallsWhat federal law says about debt collectors and a loved one's debts, plus a call log.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageOut-of-Pocket Expense LogEstate costs you pay yourself, with space to note receipts.Download PDF ↓Guide · 1 pageFinding a Probate AttorneyQuestions to ask, red flags, and how fees work.Download PDF ↓Worksheet · 2 pagesAttorney Consultation Prep SheetWhat to bring to a first meeting, and a grid to compare attorneys.Download PDF ↓
Module 5Handling Estate Assets
Quick start5.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video5.1 · Preparing the Complete InventoryComing soon
Go deeper — 8 more lessons in this module ▾
5.2 · Handling Cash and Liquid Accounts
5.3 · Real Estate
5.4 · Vehicles
5.5 · Personal Property and Sentimental Items
5.6 · Stocks and Brokerage Accounts
5.7 · Digital Assets
5.8 · When Appraisals Are Required
5.9 · Beneficiary Designations — What Passes Outside the Estate
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Tracker · 2 pagesExecutor's Document TrackerDocuments, accounts, and key deadlines in one place.Download PDF ↓Worksheet · 1 pageDigital Asset InventoryOnline accounts, devices, and subscriptions, without writing down passwords.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageOut-of-Pocket Expense LogEstate costs you pay yourself, with space to note receipts.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageEstate Deadline CalendarEvery date the court, an attorney, or an agency gives you.Download PDF ↓
Module 6Distributing the Estate
Quick start6.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video6.1 · When Beneficiaries Should Expect DistributionsComing soon
Go deeper — 6 more lessons in this module ▾
6.2 · Partial vs. Final Distributions
6.3 · How Distributions Are Made
6.4 · The Final Accounting
6.5 · Closing the Estate
6.6 · When Family Members Won't Cooperate
6.7 · Unlocatable Beneficiaries
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Template · 1 pageExecutor Update LetterA short, regular update for family and beneficiaries.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageOut-of-Pocket Expense LogEstate costs you pay yourself, with space to note receipts.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 2 pagesExecutor's Document TrackerDocuments, accounts, and key deadlines in one place.Download PDF ↓Guide · 2 pagesThe Family Conversation GuideHow to start the conversation about wills and end-of-life wishes.Download PDF ↓
Module 7Beneficiary Rights
Quick start7.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video7.1 · You Are a Beneficiary — What That MeansComing soon
Go deeper — 11 more lessons in this module ▾
7.2 · Your Inheritance: What to Expect and When to Expect It
7.3 · Your Right to Information
7.4 · How to Request a Formal Accounting
7.5 · Realistic Timelines — Why Probate Is Slow
7.6 · When to Be Concerned vs. When to Wait
7.7 · How to Ask Questions Without Creating Conflict
7.8 · When to Get Your Own Attorney
7.9 · Contesting a Will
7.10 · The 'Nothing Is in Their Name' Problem
7.11 · Immigration Status and Probate
7.12 · Medicaid Estate Recovery
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Guide · 1 pageFinding a Probate AttorneyQuestions to ask, red flags, and how fees work.Download PDF ↓Worksheet · 2 pagesAttorney Consultation Prep SheetWhat to bring to a first meeting, and a grid to compare attorneys.Download PDF ↓Links · All 50 states and DCFind help in your stateWhich court handles probate where you live, with links to official court, state bar, and free legal aid websites.Choose your state →Glossary · 2 pagesProbate GlossaryPlain-language definitions for the legal terms you'll run into.Download PDF ↓
Module 8Protecting the Estate
Quick start8.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video8.1 · The Most Costly Mistakes Families MakeComing soon
Go deeper — 8 more lessons in this module ▾
8.2 · Do NOT Distribute Assets Before Debts Are Paid
8.3 · Do NOT Transfer Real Estate Before Letters Testamentary
8.4 · Do NOT Close Accounts Without a Record
8.5 · Do NOT Sign Anything You Don't Understand
8.6 · Do NOT Ignore Creditor Notices
8.7 · Do NOT Act Alone Without Documentation
8.8 · No-Asset Estates — What to Do When There Is Nothing
8.9 · The Closing Accounts and Notifications Checklist
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Info sheet · 2 pagesWhen a Creditor CallsWhat federal law says about debt collectors and a loved one's debts, plus a call log.Download PDF ↓Template · 2 pagesNotification LettersFill-in letters to tell a bank, an insurer, or a utility that someone has died.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 2 pagesExecutor's Document TrackerDocuments, accounts, and key deadlines in one place.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 1 pageEstate Deadline CalendarEvery date the court, an attorney, or an agency gives you.Download PDF ↓
Module 9Special Situations
Quick start9.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video9.1 · Small Estate ProceduresComing soon
Go deeper — 11 more lessons in this module ▾
9.2 · Taxes After Death
9.3 · When There Is No Will
9.4 · Multi-State or International Assets
9.5 · When Minors Are Beneficiaries
9.6 · Business Ownership
9.7 · Executor Who Is Also a Beneficiary
9.8 · When There Are No Assets — Do You Still Need Probate?
9.9 · Are Survivors Responsible for the Deceased's Debts?
9.10 · Community Property vs. Separate Property
9.11 · Blended Families and Stepchildren
9.12 · When the Estate Is Insolvent
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Links · All 50 states and DCFind help in your stateWhich court handles probate where you live, with links to official court, state bar, and free legal aid websites.Choose your state →Guide · 1 pageFinding a Probate AttorneyQuestions to ask, red flags, and how fees work.Download PDF ↓Worksheet · 2 pagesAttorney Consultation Prep SheetWhat to bring to a first meeting, and a grid to compare attorneys.Download PDF ↓DirectoryFind a LawyerState-by-state directory of state-bar-licensed attorneys, with the languages they speak.Open the directory →
Module 10Planning Ahead
Quick start10.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video10.1 · Why Planning Ahead MattersComing soon
Go deeper — 6 more lessons in this module ▾
10.2 · Wills — What They Do and Don't Do
10.3 · Creating a Document Organization System
10.4 · How to Avoid Probate Entirely
10.5 · Digital Assets Preparation
10.6 · Pets and Estate Planning
10.7 · The Family Conversation Guide
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Guide · 2 pagesThe Family Conversation GuideHow to start the conversation about wills and end-of-life wishes.Download PDF ↓Worksheet · 1 pageDigital Asset InventoryOnline accounts, devices, and subscriptions, without writing down passwords.Download PDF ↓Template · 1 pagePet Care LetterCare instructions a caregiver can follow right away.Download PDF ↓Tracker · 2 pagesExecutor's Document TrackerDocuments, accounts, and key deadlines in one place.Download PDF ↓
Module 11Grief & Communication
Quick start11.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video11.1 · How to Communicate with Family During ProbateComing soon
Go deeper — 4 more lessons in this module ▾
11.2 · Emotional Overload for Executors
11.3 · Grief + Money = Conflict
11.4 · Cultural Considerations in Probate
11.5 · Grief Resources and Mental Health Navigation
Printable tools for this moduleAll resources →
Guide · 2 pagesThe Family Conversation GuideHow to start the conversation about wills and end-of-life wishes.Download PDF ↓Template · 1 pageExecutor Update LetterA short, regular update for family and beneficiaries.Download PDF ↓Guide · 2 pagesAsking for a Court InterpreterHow to ask for language help, with a card to show at the clerk's window.Download PDF ↓
Module 12Wrap-Up & Tools
Quick start12.0 · Module Quick StartComing soon
Core video12.1 · Summary of the Probate JourneyComing soon
Go deeper — 3 more lessons in this module ▾
12.2 · The Probate Binder
12.3 · Additional Resources
12.4 · Final Message
Printable tools for this module
Tracker · 2 pagesExecutor's Document TrackerDocuments, accounts, and key deadlines in one place.Download PDF ↓Glossary · 2 pagesProbate GlossaryPlain-language definitions for the legal terms you'll run into.Download PDF ↓Links · All 50 states and DCFind help in your stateWhich court handles probate where you live, with links to official court, state bar, and free legal aid websites.Choose your state →LibraryEvery printable resourceAll checklists, trackers, letters, and guides in one place, sorted by what you need right now.Browse the library →