Probate can be time consuming and expensive for those still coping with the loss of a loved one.  To make matters worse, the amount of money family may obtain without probate, which is in Title 20, is inadequate and outdated, especially since a spouse is not required to pay inheritance tax and often would not need to probate an estate except to access funds.
 
To keep up with inflation and the increase of the costs, I plan to introduce legislation that will increase the amounts a family may obtain without probate.  My legislation will allow a surviving spouse to access more funds and allow burial expenses to be paid.  Specifically, it will increase the amount of wages that may be paid without probate from $10,000 to $20,000.  It will increase the amount of funds that may be paid for burial expenses from a deposit account without probate from $10,000 to $20,000, and increase the amount paid to family from a deposit account without probate from $10,000 to $100,000.  It will also increase the amount paid from a patient’s care account for burial expenses without probate from $10,000 to $20,000.
 
Families have so many things to worry about during these difficult times.  Let’s make accessing the funds be a little easier.