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After a parent dies · Alabama
Small estates in Alabama: collecting a parent's property without full probate
Alabama's Small Estates Act lets a probate court distribute a deceased person's personal property to a surviving spouse or other heirs through summary distribution, without full probate administration. In Alabama, summary distribution is not available if the person who died left a minor child who is not the child of the surviving spouse.
Educational only. Not legal advice. Sources checked November 2, 2026.
What the official sources say
- Alabama's Small Estates Act lets a probate court distribute a deceased person's personal property to a surviving spouse or other heirs through summary distribution, without full probate administration. Mobile County Probate Court (Alabama). Checked November 2, 2026
- In Alabama, summary distribution is not available if the person who died left a minor child who is not the child of the surviving spouse. Mobile County Probate Court (Alabama). Checked November 2, 2026
- Alabama's value limit for summary distribution of personal property is adjusted from time to time using a Consumer Price Index formula. Mobile County Probate Court (Alabama). Checked November 2, 2026
How to keep these papers
Keep dated copies of the papers you already have in one place, and write the day something happened on the same day. KeepMyProof is a private phone app for that: folders with checklists, the day it happened next to the day you saved it, and one PDF of a folder when someone asks.
- Will or trust copies
- Death certificates
- Court papers naming the executor
- Accounts and property papers
- Bills and letters to close out
- Family land papers (heirs' property)
Download the free printable checklist (PDF)
One page, no email needed.
Coming soon to Google Play.
More for Alabama
- How to order a death certificate in Alabama
- Executor duties and deadlines in Alabama
- Executor checklist: papers after a parent dies: the full guide
- Small estates: collecting a parent's property without full probate: all states
Neighbouring states
- Small estates in Florida: collecting a parent's property without full probate
- Small estates in Georgia: collecting a parent's property without full probate
- Small estates in Mississippi: collecting a parent's property without full probate
- Small estates in Tennessee: collecting a parent's property without full probate
Questions
Where do these Alabama facts come from?
Each fact on this page is copied from an official source: Mobile County Probate Court (Alabama). We checked that each source still says it on November 2, 2026. Rules and forms change, so open the official link and read the current version before you rely on it.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page is educational only and is not legal advice. KeepMyProof is not a law firm. For advice about your situation, ask a lawyer licensed in Alabama or your court's self-help center.
Which papers should I keep for after a parent dies?
A good start: Will or trust copies; Death certificates; Court papers naming the executor; Accounts and property papers; Bills and letters to close out; Family land papers (heirs' property). Keep only papers you are allowed to have, write the date on each note, and keep originals somewhere safe.
How can I keep these papers private on my phone?
KeepMyProof keeps copies of the papers you already have in folders with checklists, encrypted on your phone, with no account and no ads. It is free for the first items you save. It is coming soon to Google Play.
Educational only. Not legal advice.