Mary Randolph

Mary Randolph

J.D. · UC Berkeley School of Law

Mary Randolph earned her law degree from the UC Berkeley School of Law. She is the author of The Executor's Guide: Settling a Loved One's Estate or Trust, 8 Ways to Avoid Probate, and other books about law for nonlawyers. She has been a guest on The Today Show and has been interviewed by many publications, including the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more.

Articles By Mary Randolph

Capital Gains Tax on Inherited Assets
Will you owe capital gains tax when you sell assets you've inherited? It depends.
What Is a Bypass Trust?
Bypass trusts are used by wealthy couples to avoid paying the federal estate tax.
What Tax Returns Must The Executor File?
An overview of all the tax returns the executor might need to file on behalf of the deceased person or the estate.
Claiming Money From a Payable-on-Death Bank Account
When the owner of a payable-on-death account dies, the POD beneficiary can simply claim the money from the bank.
Do I Receive Payment for Serving as Executor?
Being a conscientious executor takes a lot of time and effort. Should you get paid for taking on the job? State law typically provides for payment of the executor.
Estimating the Value of Inherited Real Estate
When passing along real estate, the executor must value the property appropriately.
Steps in the Probate Process: An Overview
Here's a roadmap of the common steps involved in the probate process.
Handling Bank Account Funds in an Estate
What happens to cash accounts that belonged to the deceased person? It depends on how the accounts were held.
How to Transfer U.S. Savings Bonds After Death
U.S. savings bonds are still popular, and are usually easy to transfer to the beneficiary after the original owner dies.
Paying Off Debts of the Estate
A big part of the executor's job is to settle the debts of the estate. Here's an overview on what you'll need to do.