Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal)

There are all sorts of forms executors, beneficiaries, and probate court clerks have to fill out and correspond with during probate and estate settlement, including affidavits, letters, petitions, summons, orders, and notices.

Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal) is a commonly used form within Arizona. Here’s an overview of what the form is and means, including a breakdown of the situations when (or why) you may need to use it:

Instructions and forms for telling the personal representative and/or the court you want notice of proceedings in an estate case.

Atticus Fast Facts About Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal)

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal):

• This form pertains to the State of Arizona

Government forms are not typically updated often, though when they are, it often happens rather quietly. While Atticus works hard to keep this information about Arizona’s Form Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal) up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct Arizona form based on the name and ID if applicable

Double check that you have both the correct form name and the correct form ID. Some Arizona probate forms can look remarkably similar, so it’s best to double, even triple-check that you’re using the right one! Keep in mind that not all States have a standardized Form ID system for their probate forms.

Step 2 - Complete the Document

Fill out all relevant fields in Form Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal), take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in AZ are long enough to begin with, and making a silly error can push your timeline even farther back. No thank you!

Note: If you don’t currently know all of the answers and are accessing Form Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal) online, be sure to avoid closing the browser tab and potentially losing all your progress (or use a platform like Atticus to help avoid making mistakes).

Step 3 - Have Form witnessed or notarized (if required)

Some States and situations require particular forms to be notarized. If you have been instructed to get the document notarized or see it in writing on the document, then make sure to hire a local notary. There are max notary fees in the United States that are defined and set by local law. Take a look at our full guide to notary fees to make sure you aren’t overpaying or getting ripped off.

Step 4 - Submit Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal) to the relevant office

This is most often the local probate court where the decedent (person who passed away) is domiciled (permanently resides) or the institution involved with this particular form (e.g. a bank). Some offices allow you to submit forms online, other’s don’t, and we while we generally recommend going in-person to expedite the process, sometimes that simply isn’t an option.

It’s also a generally good idea to establish a positive working relationship with any probate clerk (unfortunately there’s enough people & process out there making things more difficult and unnecessarily confusing for them), so a best practice is to simply ask the probate clerk proactively exactly how and where they’d prefer you to submit all forms.

Need help getting in touch with a local probate court or identifying a domicile probate jurisdiction?

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Different probate forms or processes can require different deadlines or response times for completing the appropriate form.

While some steps in the process are bound to specific deadlines (like petitioning for probate, having to submit an inventory of assets, or filing applicable notices to creditors and beneficiaries), many probate forms or processes are not tied to a specific deadline since the scope of work can vary based on situational factors or requirements involved.

Either way, there are a bunch of practical reasons why personal representatives should work to complete each step as thoroughly and quickly as possible when completing probate in Arizona.

5 reasons you should submit this form as quickly as possible:

1. The sooner you begin, the faster Arizona can allow heirs and beneficiaries to get their share of assets subject to probate. Acting promptly can also decrease the costs & overall mental fatigue through an otherwise burdensome process.
   
   Helpful Context: What’s the Difference Between Probate and Non-Probate Assets?

2. In general, creditors of an estate usually have around 3-6 months from the time you file notice to creditors to file any claims for debt against the deceased’s assets. If they don’t, then that debt is forfeited (and more importantly, the executor won’t be held personally responsible). So doing this sooner means you have a better idea of who is owed what and ensures you won’t get a surprise collector months later.

3. Not filing a will within 30 days (on average) could mean that the probate process proceeds according to intestate laws (laws that govern what happens to someone's stuff without a will) or is subject to unnecessary supervision by the probate court. And if you aren't directly related to the deceased (a.k.a. next of kin), this could also mean you lose your inheritance.

4. It’s important to file any necessary state tax returns on behalf of the deceased or estate by the following tax season in Arizona. If you don’t, you could owe penalties and interest. This also includes any necessary federal tax returns such as Forms 1040, 1041, or even a Form 706 estate tax return.

5. If a house in the State of Arizona is left empty (or abandoned) for a while, insurance can get dicey. For example, if the house burns down and no one has been there for a year, an insurance company may get out of paying your claim.

If you’re not using Atticus to get specific forms, deadlines, and timelines for Arizona probate, then try and stay as organized as possible, pay close attention to the dates mentioned in any correspondence you have with the State’s government officials, call the local Arizona probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal), and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal) is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some Arizona probate court sites, such as . In order to access the latest version, be updated with any revisions, and get full instructions on how to complete each form, check out the Atticus Probate & Estate Settlement software or consider hiring a qualified legal expert locally within Arizona.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal) f using any other site or resource in order to avoid having to re-complete the form process and/or make another trip to the Arizona probate court office.

Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal) is a .pdf, so opening it should be as simple as clicking “View Form” from within the Atticus app or by clicking the appropriate link found on any Arizona-provided government platform. Once you’ve opened the form, you should be able to directly edit the form before saving or printing.

Here’s the text, verbatim, that is found on Arizona Form Procedures And Instructions: How To Close The Estste And Fill Out The Closing Statement (Pinal). You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

Page 1 of 1 PB_CE_COSCPinal_10.19.11 Use only most current version INFORMAL PROBATE CLOSING THE ESTATE OF THE PERSON WHO DIED CHECKLIST USE THE FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS in this packet only if the following factors apply to your situation: 9You have been appointed the Personal Representative of the estate of a person who died (with or without a will); AND 9You have filed the final Accounting and Deed of Distribution; AND 9You want to close the estate and close the court case; AND 9At least four (4) months have passed since you were appointed Personal Representative, and at least four months have passed since the date of the first publication to the Notice to Creditors. READ ME:It is very important for you to know that when you sign a court document, you may be helping or hurting your court case. Before you sign any court document, or get involved with a court case, it is important that you see a lawyer to make sure you are doing the right thing. Page 1 of 1 PB_CE_COSCPinal_10.31.11 Use only most current version INFORMAL PROBATE CLOSING THE ESTATE Table of Contents How to assemble these documents: This packet contains general information and instructions to file and give notice for closing an estate, whether there was a Will or not. Be sure this packet contains the following documents: Order Title # of Pages 1 Table of Contents (this page) 1 2 Procedures 2 3 Instructions: How to fill out the Closing Statement 1 4 Check list for Closing of Estate 1 5 “Closing Statement and Proof of Mailing Closing Statement 2 6 “Application for Certificate of Registrar” 1 7 “Certificate of Registrar” 1 The documents you have received are copyrighted by the Superior Court of Arizona in Pinal County. You have permission to use them for any lawful purpose. These forms shall not be used to engage in the unauthorized practice of law. The Court assumes no responsibility and accepts no liability for actions taken by users of these documents, including reliance on their contents. The documents are under continual revision and are current only for the day they were received. It is strongly recommended that you verify on a regular basis that you have the most current documents. It is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney to assist you in completing these forms if you have any questions. You should contact an attorney that handles Probate Estates to find out what to do. Page 1 of 2 PB_CE_COSCPinal_08.21.17 Use only most current version PROCEDURES HOW TO CLOSE THE ESTATE USE THIS PACKET if: ¥ You have been appointed the Personal Representative of the Estate, whether or not there is a Will, more than four months ago. ¥ You have published the NOTICE TO CREDITORS according to law more than four months ago. ¥ The Estate has been fully administered and you want to close the Estate. CLOSING THE ESTATE: After you have paid all the claims and distributed all of the property of the Estate, you are ready to close the Estate. You must do the following: 1.COMPLETE THE CLOSING STATEMENT: See the instruction form called Instructions: How to fill out the CLOSING STATEMENT. (Included in this packet) 2.MAIL A COPY OF THE CLOSING STATEMENT: Mail a copy of the CLOSING STATEMENT to each beneficiary/heir to the estate, any creditors that have filed any claims and any other person who filed a Demand for Notice of the proceedings. Keep a record of when you mailed the CLOSING STATEMENT and to whom you mailed the CLOSING STATEMENT. 3.FILE THE ORIGINAL CLOSING STATEMENT: You can bring the CLOSING STATEMENT to the Court or you can mail it to the Court. x In person. File the original CLOSING STATEMENT with the Clerk of the Court and bring a copy of the CLOSING STATEMENT with you to have it conformed, OR x By mail. Mail the original and one copy of the completed and signed CLOSING STATEMENT along with a self-addressed, stamped return envelope to: CLERK OF THE SUPERIOR COURT P.O. BOX 2730 FLORENCE AZ 85132 Also request that a copy of the CLOSING STATEMENT be conformed (date-stamped) and mailed back to you. This will assure that your file contains a copy of the CLOSING STATEMENT reflecting the date it was filed with the Clerk of the Court. 4. ORDER TO APPEAR HEARING: In most informal probate cases, a hearing will not be set. However, if an Order to Appear Hearing has been set in your case because a CLOSING STATEMENT has not been filed, you ha ve 2 options: x If the Estate has been fully administered and it is ready to be closed, file the original CLOSING STATEMENT according to the instructions above. Mail it to the address listed in Paragraph 3. Include a copy of the CLOSING STATEMENT for the Judge, before whom the Order to Appear Hearing is set, early enough so that he/she receives it at least 5 days prior to the hearing, along with a note requesting that the hearing be canceled. Page 2 of 2 PB_CE_COSCPinal_08.21.17 Use only most current version You may confirm in advance of the hearing, that the hearing has been vacated by calling the Probate Judge’s Judicial Assistant or the Probate Records Management Clerk at (520) 509-3555. You will receive a minute entry confirming that the hearing was vacated. Note: The Court cannot return long distance telephone calls. OR x If the estate has not been fully administered and it is not ready to be closed, do not file theCLOSING STATEMENT. The Personal Representative should appear at the hearing or, if the Personal Representative resides outside of Arizona, arrange to appear at the hearing by telephone. Telephonic hearings can be arranged by calling the assigned Judge’s Judicial Assistant . AT THE HEARING 1.ThePersonal Representative will be expected to tell the Judge the status of the administration of the estate including what tasks remain so that the administration of the estate can be completed, AND 2.The Court may set deadlines for completing the tasks and for filing the CLOSING STATEMENT. Page 1 of 1 PB_CE_COSCPinal_10.28.11 Use only most current version INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO FILL OUT THE CLOSING STATEMENT The Personal Representative of the Estate must complete the CLOSING STATEMENT to close the Estate. Follow these steps to do so: Use only black ink. STEP 1 Caption Write your name, address, city, state, zip code, and telephone number. Next write the name of the person who died, and the court case number. Paragraph 1 Appointment as Personal Representative: Write the date you were appointed to be the Personal Representative of the Estate. Paragraph 2 Notice to Creditors: Write the date of the first publication to the Creditors. Paragraph 3 Administration of Estate: List the names of any creditors or other claimants whose claims against the Estate are not barred or who were not paid. If there were none, write in “none” in the space provided. Paragraph 4 Distribution of Assets: This statement tells the court that you have distributed all of the assets of the Estate to the Persons entitled to distribution. Paragraph 5 Mailing the Closing Statement: Make sure you mail a copy of the CLOSING STATEMENT to all of the people you distributed property of this Estate, to all people whose interests were affected by the administration of the Estate, AND to all creditors or claimants whose claims against the Estate are not barred or who were not paid. Paragraph 6Accounting: Make sure you have mailed or delivered a copy of the accounting to the people whose interests were affected by the administration of the Estate. Paragraph 7Claims: If you wrote “none” in Paragraph 3, fill in “none” in this space too. If you listed creditors or other claimants in Paragraph 3, specify the arrangement made to pay each creditor or claimant. Signatures You must sign the CLOSING STATEMENT in front of a Notary Public. The Notary Public must sign and date the CLOSING STATEMENT too. Remember to take a valid picture identification with you to the Notary. STEP 2See the form called Procedures: How to Close the Estate, included in this packet.