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The End of Life Plannerby Valoren

General information · not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.

Free · general informationAlaska

Probate in Alaska

What Alaska’s own law and courts say about probate, from how an estate comes before the court to when creditors must claim. Nothing on this page decides whether a particular estate needs probate. That question belongs to the court, or to an attorney in Alaska.

  • Every fact dated, in the official words
  • Each state’s own law

Every quotation checked October 24, 2026

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Every quotation on this page is the official body’s own words, as they stood on the day we read them. The date is beside each one.

Which court hears probate, and who the registrar is

“court” means the superior court in this state;

“registrar” means the official of the court designated to perform the functions of registrar under AS 13.06.090;

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.06.050(8), (47)

The court’s filing fee, and the time that must pass before letters are signed

The filing fee or cost to file a Probate Estates case is $250.

The court will not sign the Letters or appoint a Personal Representative until a certain amount of time has passed. The amount of time depends on whether the person who died was an Alaska resident.

If the person who died was an Alaska resident:

5 days after the person's death.

If the person who died was not an Alaska resident:

30 days after the person's death; or

5 days after the person's death but only if (1) the Will says that Alaska law applies to the probate or (2) you have already been appointed as the Personal Representative in another state.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · Alaska Court System, Self-Help Center: Informal Probate

How long after a death probate can still be opened

An informal probate or appointment proceeding or formal testacy or appointment proceeding, other than a proceeding to probate a will previously probated at the testator's domicile and appointment proceedings relating to an estate in which there has been a prior appointment, may not be commenced more than three years after the decedent's death, except

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.16.040(a)

The notice to creditors, and when claims are barred with and without it

a personal representative upon appointment shall publish a notice once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the judicial district announcing the appointment and address and notifying creditors of the estate to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of the notice or be forever barred.

within three years after the decedent's death, if notice to creditors has not been published.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.16.450; AS 13.16.460(a)(2)

What the person holding the will must do, and the liability for not doing it

After the death of a testator and on request of an interested person, a person having custody of a will of the testator shall deliver it with reasonable promptness to a person able to secure its probate and, if the person with custody does not know of a person able to secure the will's probate, to an appropriate court.

A person who wilfully fails to deliver a will is liable to a person aggrieved for any damages that may be sustained by the failure.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.12.516

Depositing a will with a court for safekeeping, and keeping it confidential during life

A will may be deposited by the testator or the testator's agent with a court for safekeeping, under rules of the court. During the testator's lifetime, the will must be kept confidential.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.12.515

The same page for other states

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FAQ

Common questions

“court” means the superior court in this state;

“registrar” means the official of the court designated to perform the functions of registrar under AS 13.06.090;

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.06.050(8), (47)

The filing fee or cost to file a Probate Estates case is $250.

The court will not sign the Letters or appoint a Personal Representative until a certain amount of time has passed. The amount of time depends on whether the person who died was an Alaska resident.

If the person who died was an Alaska resident:

5 days after the person's death.

If the person who died was not an Alaska resident:

30 days after the person's death; or

5 days after the person's death but only if (1) the Will says that Alaska law applies to the probate or (2) you have already been appointed as the Personal Representative in another state.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · Alaska Court System, Self-Help Center: Informal Probate

An informal probate or appointment proceeding or formal testacy or appointment proceeding, other than a proceeding to probate a will previously probated at the testator's domicile and appointment proceedings relating to an estate in which there has been a prior appointment, may not be commenced more than three years after the decedent's death, except

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.16.040(a)

a personal representative upon appointment shall publish a notice once a week for three successive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the judicial district announcing the appointment and address and notifying creditors of the estate to present their claims within four months after the date of the first publication of the notice or be forever barred.

within three years after the decedent's death, if notice to creditors has not been published.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.16.450; AS 13.16.460(a)(2)

After the death of a testator and on request of an interested person, a person having custody of a will of the testator shall deliver it with reasonable promptness to a person able to secure its probate and, if the person with custody does not know of a person able to secure the will's probate, to an appropriate court.

A person who wilfully fails to deliver a will is liable to a person aggrieved for any damages that may be sustained by the failure.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.12.516

A will may be deposited by the testator or the testator's agent with a court for safekeeping, under rules of the court. During the testator's lifetime, the will must be kept confidential.

Alaska · general information · checked October 24, 2026 · AS 13.12.515

For anyone who would rather their family found it all in one place than went looking.

A couple. A parent. An adult child and a parent, doing it together. One sitting starts it; keep it current, and tell someone where it is.

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