Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate

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.

Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate is a commonly used form within District of Columbia. 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:

Atticus Fast Facts About Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate

Sometimes it’s tough to find a quick summary— here’s the important details you should know about Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate:

• This form pertains to the State of District of Columbia

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 District of Columbia’s Form Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate up to date, certain details can change from time-to-time with little or no communication.

Step 1 - Download the correct District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia 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 Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate, take a break, and then review. Probate and estate settlement processes in DC 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 Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate 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 Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate 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.

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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 District of Columbia.

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

1. The sooner you begin, the faster District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia. 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 District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia probate clerk or court for exact answers regarding Form Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate, and when in doubt— consult a qualified trust & estates lawyer for that area.

Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate is one of the many probate court forms available for download through Atticus.

It may also be available through some District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia.

While Atticus automatically provides the latest forms, be sure to choose the correct version of Form Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate 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 District of Columbia probate court office.

Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate 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 District of Columbia-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 District of Columbia Form Case Initiation (Seb) - Petition For Administration Of Small Estate. You can use this to get an idea of the context of the form and what type of information is needed.

November 2010 – 204.10.v1 SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION _________ SEB _________ (Linked to _______WIL_______) Estate of ________________________________ Deceased PETITION FOR ADMINISTRATION OF SMALL ESTATE ____________________________ Name _______ Age _________________________________________ Address ____________________________ Name _______ Age _________________________________________ Address hereinafter, petitioner, being a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted permanent resident thereof, of legal age and not otherwise excluded from acting as personal representative pursuant to D.C. Code, sec. 20-303(b), shows: 1. ____________________________, the decedent, a domiciliary of _________________________________, residing at ______________________________________________________________________________, died at ____________________________________________________________ on ______________________________ Place Date (with)(without) a will. 2. Petitioner is entitled to be appointed personal representative of the decedent's estate under, D.C. Code sec. 20-303 for the following reasons: __________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. The court has jurisdiction in this matter, because: … Decedent died domiciled in the District of Columbia … Other (please state basis for jurisdiction): ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. There are no other proceedings regarding the administration of the estate except ______________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Petitioner has made a diligent search to discover all property and debts of the decedent. All assets subject to administration in the District of Columbia do not exceed $40,000.00, effective April 27, 2001. 6. Petitioner has made a diligent search for wills and codicils of the decedent and to the best knowledge of the petitioner, the will dated ___________________________________________________ and codicil(s) dated __________________________________________________ accompanying this petition (is)(are) the decedent's last will and petitioner knows of no later will or codicil(s), and said will and codicil(s), if any, came into petitioner’s hands in the following manner _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________. 7. All information required pursuant to D.C. Code, sec. 20-304(a) has been furnished except ________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________. November 2010 – 204.10.v1 The decedent was survived by - (please check appropriate boxes) a. … Spouse/Domestic Partner. … No Spouse/Domestic Partner. Check appropriate box and go to b. b. … Children. … Descendants of predeceased children. If so, stop here; if not, go to c. c. … Grandchildren. … Descendants of predeceased grandchildren. If so, stop here; if not, go to d. d. … Parents. If so, stop here; if not go to e. e. … Brothers and/or Sisters. … Descendants of predeceased brothers and/or sisters. If so, stop here; if not, go to f. f. … Nieces and/or Nephews. … Descendants of predeceased nieces and/or nephews. If so, stop here; if not, go to g. g. … Uncles and/or Aunts. If so, stop here; if not, go to h. h. … First cousins. If so, stop here; if not, go to i. i. … Grandparents. If so, stop here; if not, go to j. j. … Other heirs. If none, go to k. k. … Notify Office of the Attorney General, Chief of the Civil Enforcement Section, 441 4th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. LIST OF INTERESTED PERSONS must include names of heirs if decedent died intestate; heirs and legatees, including trustees and all named Personal Representatives if the decedent died testate. Refer to D.C. Code, secs. 19-301 through 312 and sec. 20-101(d)(1). If under age of 18 or an adult who is legally disabled, also list as an interested person the judicially appointed guardian, conservator or committee for such person. If no judicially appointed representative exists, then list the parent or custodian or an attorney-in-fact, if any, for such person (subject to the terms of the power of attorney), or any other person with legal authority to act for such disabled person. Note: If each trustee is also a petitioning party or acting personal representative, list all beneficiaries under trust. Refer to D.C. Code, sec. 20-101(g). Any creditor of the decedent, including those persons whose rights accrue at the time of death, who has timely presented a claim in excess of $500 that has not been barred or discharged is also an interested person. Petitioner(s) should update list of interested persons or creditors with claims in excess of $500 as they become known. Indicate, when applicable, grandchildren and nieces and nephews by family groups, by showing the name of their deceased parent who was related to the decedent Sample: Joe Petitioner 1234 Hexagon Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20000 Son/heir/legatee/petitioner Interested persons Address Relationship (Age, if under 18) ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ ______________________________ ______________________________________ ______________________ (Use continuation sheet, if necessary) WITNESS TO WILLS/CODICILS (Names) _____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ November 2010 – 204.10.v1 Character, Location and Estimated Value of Property Titled in Decedent's Name Estimated Value Real Property located in the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions ________________________________________________________ ______________________ ________________________________________________________ ______________________ Total $ ________________ Personal Property located in the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions ________________________________________________________ ______________________ ________________________________________________________ ______________________ ________________________________________________________ ______________________ Total $ ________________ Debts, Funeral Expenses, Inheritance, Taxes Debts secured: ___________________________________________ ______________________ ________________________________________________________ ______________________ ________________________________________________________ ______________________ Total $ ________________ Debt, unsecured: __________________________________________ ______________________ ________________________________________________________ ______________________ Total $ ________________ Funeral Expenses: _________________________________________ Paid by __________________________________________________ Total $ ________________ (Insert name) Unpaid___________________________________________________ Total $ ________________ If the decedent died prior to April 1, 1987, inheritance taxes only on personal property under control of personal representative Total $ ________________ November 2010 – 204.10.v1 WHEREFORE, the petitioner(s) pray(s) for appointment as personal representative(s) of the decedent’s estate and that the will dated _____________________________________________________________ and codicil(s) dated __________________________________________________________, be admitted to probate and record, and that the additional relief be granted: _______________________________________________________________. DECLARATION OF PETITIONER I do solemnly declare and affirm under penalty of law that the contents of the foregoing petition are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief. _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Signature of Petitioner (Tel No.) Signature of Petitioner (Tel No.) _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Signature of Petitioner (Tel No.) Signature of Petitioner (Tel No.) ACCEPTANCE AND CONSENT OF EACH PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE I do hereby accept the duties of the office of personal representative of the estate of ____________________ _______________________________________________, deceased, and consent to personal jurisdiction in any action brought in the District of Columbia against me as personal representative or arising out of the duties of the office of personal representative pursuant to D.C. Code, sec. 20-501. _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Signature of Petitioner Signature of Petitioner POWER OF ATTORNEY To be executed by each Non-Resident Personal Representative Pursuant to D.C. Code, sec. 20-303(b)(7), I do hereby irrevocably appoint the Register of Wills and successors in office as the person upon whom all notices and process issued by a competent court in the District of Columbia may be served with the same effect as personal service in relation to all suits or matters pertaining to the estate in which the letters are to issue. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Signature of Petitioner Address ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Signature of Petitioner Address