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Before the terms of a will can be accepted, the will must be proven in probate court. Probate is the court-supervised process of distributing the estate of a deceased person. In Rhode Island, a decedent's will should be filed in the probate court of the town or city in which the decedent had resided.

Rhode Island has one of the nation's shortest timeframes where heirs can submit a will to probate. Probate must be filed in court within 30 days of the heir being notified of the person's death. Claiming estate assets without filing for probate may result in a contempt of court charge and possible jail time.

The length of time an executor has to settle an estate in Rhode Island can vary significantly, usually ranging from several months to over a year, depending on factors such as the size and complexity of the estate, the clarity of the will, and whether or not the probate process is contested.

In Rhode Island, the following assets are subject to probate: Solely-owned property: Any asset that was solely owned by the deceased person with no designated beneficiary is subject to probate. This could include bank accounts, cars, houses, personal belongings, and business interests.

Rhode Island probate follows this general flow: contact the court, get appointed as personal representative, submit will if it exists, inventory and submit valuations of all relevant assets, have the court and beneficiaries approve it, and then distribute the assets to beneficiaries.

In order to close a small estate, an executor must: Complete a schedule of all known assets and the estimated value of each one. File the decedent's original will with the probate court. Present the deceased's death certificate to the clerk of the probate court. Pay applicable filing fees.