Christy Bieber has a JD from UCLA School of Law and began her career as a college instructor and textbook author. She has been writing full time for over a decade with a focus on making financial and ...

The need for probate when a spouse dies depends on various factors. If assets were owned jointly, they often pass directly to the surviving spouse without probate. Similarly, assets like life ...

Probate is the legal process that happens after someone dies. It distributes the assets and pays any debts or taxes. If there's a will, you might wonder if probate is needed. Sometimes, probate is ...