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District of Columbia Probate Process (with Costs) 1. Locate and File the Will
Deadline: The Will must be filed within 90 days of death.
Cost: Filing the Will alone is free. Probate fees begin when the estate is opened. 2. Open the Estate
File a Petition for Probate with the Probate Division.
Small Estate Estate worth ≤ $40,000. Unsupervised Administration (standard) Called ADM case; used for most estates over $40K. Supervised Administration Used when court oversight is needed (disputes, minors, etc). You’ll need:
Death certificate
Original Will (if any)
Petition and supporting forms
Paid publication notice
Small Estate Petition $15 ADM Estate Petition $25 Initial filing fee $25 – $50 (depending on forms) Certified Letters of Administration ~$1 per copy 3. Appointment of Personal Representative
The court will issue Letters of Administration once a personal representative (executor) is appointed. Bond may be required unless waived in the Will or by all heirs. Bond Cost: Varies based on estate size and credit — typically $200–$1,000+ annually. 4. Notify Creditors and Heirs
Publish notice in a local newspaper for once a week for 3 consecutive weeks.
Cost: ~$150–$300 Creditors have 6 months to file claims after notice is published. 5. Inventory and Appraisal
File an Inventory within 3 months of appointment.
Real estate, personal property, bank accounts, etc. must be listed. Appraisal Fees:
May be required for real estate or specialty assets.
Typical range: $300–$800 per appraisal. 6. Pay Debts, Taxes, and Administrative Costs
Estate pays:
Valid creditor claims
Funeral expenses
Personal representative compensation
Estate and income taxes (if applicable)
Estate tax exemption: $4.71 million
Rates: 11.2% – 16% on amounts above exemption
Reasonable fee allowed.
Often based on a percentage or court-approved hourly rate. 7. Accounting and Distribution
Must file:
Initial Accounting
Final Accounting
Assets are distributed once accounting is approved. 8. Close the Estate
File a final report and request court approval to close.
Small Estate (≤ $40K) $200 – $1,000 Regular Estate ($100K–$500K) $3,000 – $10,000 Large Estate ($500K+) $10,000 – $25,000+
Jointly titled property with survivorship
Life insurance or retirement accounts with beneficiaries
Trust-held property
POD (Payable-on-death) and TOD (Transfer-on-death) accounts (责任编辑：) |
