• Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • Communities We Serve
      • Minnesota
        • Bemidji
        • Crookston
        • East Grand Forks
        • Fertile
      • North Dakota
        • Bismarck
        • Devils Lake
        • Fargo
        • Grafton
        • Grand Forks
        • Minot
        • West Fargo
    • Job Opportunities
  • Estate Planning
    • Asset Protection
    • Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate And Gift Tax Figures
    • Estate Planning Services
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Financial Planning Assistance
    • Incapacity Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Pet Planning
    • Probate
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration
  • Elder Law
    • Are You A Caregiver
    • Conservatorship
    • Coping with Alzheimer’s
    • Hospice Care
    • Life Care Planning Services
    • Medicaid Benefits
    • Nursing Home Planning
    • Veterans Benefits
  • Seminars
  • Resources
    • Client Resources
      • Estate Planning Resources for Farmers
      • Elder Law Resources
        • Bemidji
        • Bismarck Elder Law
        • Fargo Elder Law
        • Grand Forks Elder Law
        • Minot Elder Law
        • Thief River Falls Elder Law
      • Estate Planning Checklist
      • Free Estate Planning Seminars
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Probate Checklist
      • Probate Resources
        • Bemidji Probate
        • Bismarck Probate
        • Fargo Probate
        • Grand Forks Probate
        • Minot Probate
        • Thief River Falls Probate
      • Top 10 Estate Planning Techniques
    • DocuBank
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Asset Protection
      • Business Planning
      • Elder Law
      • Estate Planning
      • Families Without an Estate Plan
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid Planning
      • Nursing Home Planning
      • Probate
      • Trusts
      • Trust Administration & Probate
      • Wills
    • Newsletters
    • Professional Resources
    • Published Books
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Niches
      • Trust Administration
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review us
  • Contact Us
  • Blog

WAEstate

Estate Planning & Medicaid Attorneys in Grand Forks , North Dakota

Call us today(800) 774-7576

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin

Attend A Free Seminar

Probate in North Dakota

June 13, 2011Uncategorized

Probate is a court supervised process wherein your will is verified, your personal representative (P.R.) is sworn in, potential creditors are notified of your death, taxes are filed and paid, last bills are paid, beneficiaries are identified, and assets are distributed to your beneficiaries as instructed in your will.

North Dakota Probate Exemption

If you die or own property in North Dakota, you can avoid probate with an affidavit procedure if you own personal property worth $50,000 or less.  Personal property refers to cash accounts, investment accounts, and your belongings, not real estate.

There is no specified dollar amount in the relevant probate statute for a simplified probate.

Choose Your Personal Representative Carefully

Probate is a labor intensive and paper pushing tedious process.  While your probate attorney – estate planning attorney will help your Personal Representative (P.R.) tremendously and do much of the work, you need to choose your P.R. carefully.

Choose a P.R. who cares about you, is detail oriented, good with finances, knows when to ask for help, and can communicate effectively with professionals as well as beneficiaries.

Be sure to name a successor P.R. in case your primary P.R. is unwilling or unable to serve.

Should I avoid probate?

Many folks seek to avoid probate because it is tedious, time consuming, lengthy, expensive, and public.  Probate is public in that the will, asset information, beneficiary contact information, and debts are all filed at the court house when you die.  Everyone has access to the information.

How can I avoid probate?

Your assets will avoid probate if you own no real estate and the total value of your personal property is $50,000 or less.

Revocable living trust assets avoid probate with no pitfalls.

The other means of probate avoidance in North Dakota all have pitfalls:  joint ownership, Transfer on Death Deeds, beneficiary designations, payment on death/transfer on death accounts, and accounts held in trust for a beneficiary.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts

Raymond German, Estate Planning Attorney

Latest posts by Raymond German, Estate Planning Attorney (see all)

  • 5 Considerations for the First-Time Executor - December 5, 2019
  • Make Your Own Plan - December 3, 2019
  • Planning for Special Needs Children - November 28, 2019

Other Articles You May Find Useful

How Does a Veteran Qualify for Aid & Attendance?
How Does a Veteran Qualify for Aid & Attendance?
North Dakota Offers a Look at the Future of Alzheimer’s in America
North Dakota Offers a Look at the Future of Alzheimer’s in America
Keeping Seniors Safe Behind the Wheel
Keeping Seniors Safe Behind the Wheel
German Law Group
Hurricane Relief Options
German Law Group
Power of Attorney Myths
German Law Group
The Aging Of America And The Rise of Boomer Scammers – 3 Warning Signs

Testimonials

Very helpful. Our children and us are are confident in your group. -Anonymous, Fargo, North Dakota
Confident in the Firm
Thank you for taking care of my finances after I am gone. I worried about probate once; hopefully this has been solved. Everyone was very polite and helpful. Thank you Katie for answering my questions, and also Jenn. – Anonymous  
Very Helpful
They were courteous, efficient, knowledgeable, and trustworthy.
  • D.T., Minnesota
Efficient
So much of a client’s high or low opinion of an organization depends on their welcomed feeling. I felt that every time I visited the office, every person I talked with listened and took action on my concern or questions! They were also very friendly. ~J.R., Grand Forks, ND
Very Friendly
From phone calls to signing the final documents I was treated with respect, kindness, and understanding by Wayne & Jenn. Every business that wants their business represented well should have someone like Jenn & Wayne. They both made me feel relaxed and assured I was at the right place at the right time at this time in my life. ~ Deborah Rucinksi, North Dakota 
Kindness, Respect and Understanding
We were wonderfully satisfied. Wayne did an outstanding job of explaining, diagramming and answering questions and concerns. JW & CD, North Dakota
Wonderfully Satisfied
All of the paperwork was completed in a timely matter. Wayne was very good in explaining the trust to us.  ~Anonymous
Completed in a Timely Matter
“We were very pleased both times we met. A good feeling to have this done.” – R. & J. F., North Dakota
A Good Feeling
Needed to come in to get specific advice for our needs. The attorney spoke to us in terms we could understand, coming to our level and did not make up feel uncomfortable. They were very considerate and caring. We didn’t feel rushed. We felt like they cared and knew what they were doing. C.P., Minnesota
Considerate and Caring
“Very professional, covered all, expertise, friendly, peace of mind now.” – Anonymous, North Dakota
Professional

Subscribe to Our Blog

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHEET

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Where We Are

2650 32nd Avenue South, Suite O
Grand Forks, ND 58201
Phone: (701) 738-0060
Fax: (701) 738-0064

See Larger Map Get Directions

Office Hours

Monday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Map

german_sidbr_map
  • Speaker Connection
  • Advantages of Working With Our Firm
  • About The American Academy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact Us

Connect to Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
footer-logo

© 2019 German Law Group
All Right Reseved.

Attorney Advertisement