Find plain-English meanings to common legal terms that you are likely to encounter. Our definitions are clear and to the point. This dictionary is designed to be user-friendly.


 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 


A


 

AB Disclaimer Trust

AB Trust

Acknowledgement

Administration of an Estate

Administrator

Adult

Advanced Healthcare Directive

Affidavit

Agent (power of attorney)

Alternate Beneficiary

Attorney-in-Fact

Augmented Estate

 


B


 

Basis

Beneficiary

Bequest

Bond

Bypass Trust

 


C


 

Certification

Child’s Trust

Codicil

Common Law Marriage

Community Property

Conservator

Creditor

Custodian

 


D


 

Debtor

Deceased Spouse

Decedent

Decedent’s Trust

Deed

Delegation

Descendant

Devise

Devisee

Disclaimer Trust

Disinheritance Clause

Domicile

Donee

Donor

Durable Power of Attorney

 


E


 

Estate

Execution of a Will

Executor

 


F


 

Fiduciary

Financial Durable Power of Attorney

 


G


 

Gift

Grantor

Guardian

 


H


 

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Healthcare Power of Attorney

Healthcare Proxy

Heir

Holographic Will

 


I


 

Inherit

Inter Vivos Trust

Intestate

Intestate Succession

Irrevocable Trust

Issue

 


J


 

Joint Tenancy

 


K


 

 


L


 

Legacy

Legal Instrument

Life Estate

Limited Guardianship

Limited Minor Child Care Power of Attorney

Living Trust

Living Will

 


M


 

Marital Property

Marital Trust

Minor

Mortgage

 


N


 

New York Statutory Gift Rider

Notary Public

 


O


 

 


P


 

Payable on Death (POD)

Personal Guardian

Personal Property

Pour-Over Will

Power of Attorney

Primary Beneficiary

Principal

Probate Code

Probate Court

Probate Estate

Property Guardian

 


Q


 

Quasi-Community Property

 


R


 

Real Property

Recording

Remainder

Remainderman

Residuary Beneficiary

Residue

Restatement (Living Trust)

 


S


 

Self-Proving Affidavit

Self-Proving Will

Separate Property

Settlor

Successor Trustee

Surety Bond

Survivor’s Trust

 


T


 

Tenancy by the Entirety

Tenancy in Common

Testate

Testator

Title

Totten Trust

Transfer on Death (TOD)

Trust

Trustee

 


U


 

Uniform Gift of Minors Act (UTMA)

 


V


 

 


W


 

Will

Witness

 


X


 

 


Y


 

 


Z