Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Washington

Re: wills and probates

Washington rightly has a reputation as a state where probate is simple and straightforward and does not cost a fortune. You will need to file the will in the county where the decedent most recently resided and where they died. If the decedent owned real property located in another state you are going to need to talk to an attorney; if it's property here in Washington, you *might* be able to do it yourself. Then again, you could save yourself a whole bunch of aggravation by asking an attorney to help. If the estate is solvent, there are probably funds to assist the personal representative with probating the estate, so you won't have out-of-pocket costs. Good luck. Powell

Re: wills and probates

Assuming the decedent was a resident of Washington State, the will can be filed by the Personal Representative and "probated" in any county in the state. Assuming estate administration (probate) is necessary, it is not enough merely to file the Will with the Superior Court of a county in the state. Several other documents should be filed along with the will. While some people are able and willing to work through the process on their own, there is a learning curve and most opt to hire the services of an attorney to ease the process. Le me know if you would like to speak further on the costs of probate.