Probate

Beginning in 2013, the Affordable Care Act will impose a 3.8% surtax on some types of income, subject to certain thresholds. However, the applicable threshold and the manner in which the surtax is calculated varies depending upon whether the taxpayer is an individual or an estate or non-exempt trust.

The United States can hold parties to asset transfers, both transferors and transferees, personally liable for outstanding debts owed to the United States by a debtor.

In July 2011, Arizona’s Legislature enacted, and Governor Brewer signed, the current version of A.R.S. § 28-2055(B). This statute provides that a person (called a grantor) can designate a beneficiary to whom ownership of a motor vehicle will be transferred upon the death of the grantor via a beneficiary deed.

Two bills, Senate Bill 1499 (SB 1499) and House Bill 2424 (HB 2424), have recently been introduced into the Arizona Legislature to reform Arizona's probate, conservatorship, and guardianship laws under the Arizona Probate Code, primarily by modifying the Arizona statutes applicable to Persons Under Disability And Their Property (A.R.S. § 14-5101 to 15-5501). In addition to these modifications, HB 2424 also proposes to create a Probate Advocacy Panel to oversee Arizona's probate courts.

Probate is the process through which a will is validated by the Arizona Superior Court and the personal representative is appointed, gathers the assets of the decedent, pays the liabilities, and distributes the remaining assets in accordance with the provisions in the will.

Probate is the process by which a will is validated by the Arizona Superior Court and the personal representative gathers the assets of the decedent, pays the liabilities, and distributes the remaining assets in accordance with the provisions in the will.