Sixteen states have adopted a set of laws to help make Probate universally easier, faster, and cheaper; these laws are known as Uniform Probate Code (UPC).

These laws replace mandatory Probate Court hearings with a paperwork process and are known as an Informal Probate.

However, some circumstances may still require court oversight, known as a more "formal" type of administration process.

Because laws differ from state to state, review local law before continuing.

The sixteen states to have adopted the UPC laws are:

• Alaska


• Arizona


• Colorado


• Florida


• Hawaii


• Idaho


• Maine


• Michigan


• Minnesota


• Montana


• Nebraska


• New Mexico


• North Dakota


• South Carolina


• South Dakota


• Utah

Probate can be a challenging legal process and so a Probate Attorney or Estate Attorney is typically hired, though not technically required by law.

See the links below for more information about UPC state laws and Probate Attorneys for hire.