Is it always necessary to have someone qualify as a personal representative on a decedent's estate?
Qualification is not always necessary if the estate consists solely of real estate held with full rights of survivorship. (When a husband and wife own their home jointly, with right of survivorship, the surviving spouse"automatically inherits the other half's interest.) While not considered for probate purposes, real property held in this manner is not exempt from estate tax considerations. It is also not necessary if jointly owned bank accounts, insurance or bonds payable to a living beneficiary, or anything Payable On Death (P. O. D.).

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1. What terms are involved in the administration of estates?
2. When should a will be probated, or, if there is no will, when should a personal representative be appointed?
3. Who inherits the property of an intestate (person dying without a will)?
4. How long does it take to probate a will or appoint a personal representative on an intestate's estate?
5. Is it always necessary to have someone qualify as a personal representative on a decedent's estate?
6. Who will qualify as an executor under a will?
7. Who has jurisdiction to qualify administrators on a decedent's estate in Virginia?
8. Where should I go to qualify as a personal representative on someone's estate?
9. What information must I have available at the time of qualification?
10. What are the basic duties of a fiduciary (executor or personal representative)?
11. Is an executor or administrator compensated?
12. Is this everything I need to know about administering estates?
13. What must a personal representative do to have a will admitted to probate?
14. What taxes and fees are associated with probate?