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What to do when someone dies - the 2025 checklist

Learn what it is, the terms, and what the next few months will look like. We cover everything from qualifying to inventorying and closing.

Beginner's Guide to Probate What Is Probate

The beginner's guide to Probate

Being an executor involves a whole host of responsibilities that take an average of 500 hours and often last well over a year.

How Executors Succeed

Executors of an estate —what they do & secrets to succeeding

Feeling overwhelmed? Check out our comprehensive guides to probate and estate settlement

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Probate

Provides instructions on completing form MPC 551 and where and how to arrange publication. Publication must be completed within 30 days of the date of the Informal Order.

Instructions To Petitioner Informal Probate Publication Notice Instructions To Petitioner

See Military Affidavit Instructions. This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader. This form is also available in Chinese, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Russian & Vietnamese. Trial Court form TC002, 9/17.

Military Affidavit

Instructions for the use of the Military Affidavit form, which may be used in all case types where the filing of a Military Affidavit is applicable.

Military Affidavit Instructions

Certification that attorney discussed alternatives to litigation with clients. Form CCF, revised July 2007.

Uniform Counsel Certification Form

For use in Probate and Family Court (4/09)

Sale Of Real Estate Foreign

For use in Probate and Family Court (10/09).

Decree Sale Of Real Estate Foreign

For use in Probate and Family Court (4/09). Interactive form features may not work properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Sale Of Real Estate Administrator/executor Debts, Legacies, Charges Of Administration

Sale Of Trust Estate

For use in Probate and Family Court (10/09)

Decree Of Trust Estate

Informal probate is an administrative probate proceeding that can be a faster process if you meet all the requirements.

Petition For Informal Probate Of Will And/or Appointment Of Personal Representative

Formal probate matters are typically heard by a judge and may involve one or more hearings before the court.

Petition For Formal Probate Of Will And/or Appointment Of Personal Representative

For use in the Probate and Family Court if you need to file for a late and limited formal probate.

Petition For Late And Limited Formal Testacy And/or Appointment

This form must be used to identify a Decedent's surviving spouse, children and heirs at law. Heirs at law are persons entitled to receive the Decedent's property under the intestacy succession laws if there is no will.

Surviving Spouse, Children, Heirs At Law

This form must be used to identify a Decedent's devisees -- persons, entities, charitable organizations, or trusts designated in a will to receive the Decedent's personal or real property.

Devisees

Voluntary administration is a simplified probate procedure for an estate with minimal assets and no real estate.

Voluntary Administration Statement

(3/19/12). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Domiciliary Foreign Personal Representative's Sworn Statement

For use in Probate & Family Court (3/19/12). Interactive form features may not work properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

General Probate Petition

For use in Probate and Family Court (1/16/13). Interactive form features may not work properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

General Trust Petition

This form is for sale of real estate by the personal representative pursuant to GL c.202, § 19.

Petition For Sale Of Real Estate

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.190B, §§ 3-1101, 3-1102 (5/25/12). Interactive form features may not work properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Petition For Approval Of Compromise

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.290B, §§ 3-301 & 3-613(a)(6).

Petition For Informal Appointment Of Successor Personal Representative

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c. 190B, § 3-807 (3/19/12). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Representation Of Insolvency

Personal Representative's Affidavit Of Notice To Creditors Of Representation Of Insolvency

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c. 190B, § 3-610 (10/23/12). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Statement Of Resignation Of Personal Representative

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c. 190B, § 3-611 (331/12). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Petition For Formal Removal Of Personal Representative

Petition For Resignation/removal/appointment Of Successor Trustee

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.203E, §§ 411, 412, 414. Interactive form features may not work properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Petition To Terminate A Trust

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c. 190B § 3-613 (10/23/12). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Petition For Formal Appointment Of Successor Personal Representative

Statement Of Confirmation Of Testamentary Trustee

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.190B, § 3-502 (3/19/12). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Petition For Supervised Administration

For use in Probate and Family Court (1/16/13). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Petition To Modify Bond

(04/23/19). Used to request reassignment of an applicable case to the Fiduciary Litigation Session pursuant to Standing Order 3-17. This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Request For Reassignment Pursuant To Standing Order 3-17

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c. 190B, § 3-614.

Petition For Appointment Of Special Personal Representative

(1/16/13) For use in Probate & Family Court under G.L. c. 203E, § 305(b). Interactive form features may not work properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

General Trust Petition For Appointment Of A Guardian Ad Litem

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.190B § 3-605 (3/19/12).

Demand For Sureties

Assent and Waiver of Notice/Renunciation/Nomination/Waiver of Sureties (MPC 455). This form is used in Probate matters.

Assent And Waiver Of Notice Of Sureties

Suspicious death affidavit pursuant to GL c. 190B, § 2-803 for use in Probate and Family Court (3/19/12).

Cause Of Death Affidavit

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.190B, §§ 2-502, 3-405 (3/19/12).

Affidavit Of Witness To Will

Probate & Family Court form for use in informal probate, formal probate, late and limited probate, or voluntary administration.

Affidavit Of Domicile

For use in Probate and Family Court (3/19/12) in wills and estates cases.

Affidavit In Support Of Release Of Demand For Sureties

For use in Probate & Family Court (3/19/12)

Notice Of Appearance (And Objection)

Notice Of Informal Probate

You must post a publication notice within 30 days after the informal petition is accepted.

Informal Probate Publication Notice

Order Appointing Special Personal Representative

Order Of Informal Probate Of Will And/or Appointment Of Personal Representative

For use in Probate and Family Court (3/1/17). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Order To Render

Formal probate matters are usually heard by a judge, and there may be one or more court hearings.

Decree And Order On Petition For Formal Adjudication

Probate and Family Court form for use in probate cases. Revised 3/19/12.

Decree And Order Of Supervised Administration

For use pursuant to GL c.190B, § 3-108(4) (4/15/16).

Decree And Order On Petition For Late And Limited Formal Testacy And/or Appointment

For use in Probate and Family Court (10/23/12). This form may not display properly in your browser. Please download the form and open it using Acrobat reader.

Order For Informal Appointment Of Successor Personal Representative

For use in Probate and Family Court. Revised 10/23/12.

Decree And Order For Formal Appointment Of Successor Personal Representative

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.190B, § 3-611. Revised 3/19/12.

Decree And Order For Formal Removal Personal Representative

For use in Probate and Family Court probate proceedings. Revised 5/25/12.

Decree And Order Of Compromise

For use in Probate and Family Court (1/16/13). Used in cases regarding wills and estates.

Decree And Order To Modify Bond

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c. 203E, § 305(b) (1/16/13).

Decree And Order On Trust Petition Appointing A Guardian Ad Litem

For use in Probate and Family Court in probate proceedings. Revised 3/19/12.

Decree And Order Of Insolvency

Decree And Order On Petition For Resignation/removal/appointment Of Successor Trustee

Probate and Family Court probate closing form for decree and order for complete settlement.

Decree And Order For Complete Settlement

Wills, estates and trusts accounting form for use in Probate and Family Court.

Decree And Order Of Allowance Of Account

Decree And Order Of General Trust Petition

Probate & Family Court sale of real estate form.

Decree On Petition For Sale Of Real Estate

This form is used in a number of Probate and Family Court procedures

Bond

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.190B, § 3-1003.

Closing Statement

For use in Probate and Family Court pursuant to GL c.190B, § 3-1204.

Small Estate Closing Statement

For use in Probate & Family Court (3/19/12). Used in cases regarding wills, estates, and trusts or guardianship and conservatorship cases.

Account

For use in Probate & Family Court (4/8/13). Used in cases regarding wills, estates, and trusts or guardianship and conservatorship cases.

Massachusetts Probate Forms

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Click to get help with Probate & settling an estate

Looking for probate and estate settlement guidance?

Feeling overwhelmed? Check out our comprehensive guides to probate and estate settlement

What to do when someone dies - the 2025 checklist

The beginner's guide to Probate

Executors of an estate —what they do & secrets to succeeding

Check out these helpful resources to get a jump start on Probate and Estate Settlement

Click to get help with Probate & settling an estate