Sometimes people in New Jersey pass away without having created a will, meaning they died "intestate." This might be because they passed away unexpectedly, or they simply put off the process of creating a will until it was too late. Others in New Jersey may have executed a will, but do not have any other documents in their estate plan that will pass on their assets to their chosen heirs. When a person in New Jersey dies intestate or when they only have a will, their estate will be probated.
Probate can be a long and costly process. If a person doesn't have a will, state law dictates who inherits the deceased person's property. This means that property may end up in the hands of someone who would not be of the deceased's choosing. However, there are ways a person can bypass the probate process.