Coming soon · Book

The Probate Playbook

A plain-English, step-by-step guide for handling a simple, uncontested probate — without hiring an attorney. Starting with Kentucky, then Indiana, then Ohio.

By Allison Cooper, JD, CPA, CFP®

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Kentucky Edition
The Probate Playbook
Allison Cooper, JD, CPA, CFP®

Release pipeline

The Probate Playbook is being built one state at a time — because probate rules are different in every state, and a generic guide isn’t actually useful when you’re standing in a county courthouse trying to figure out what form to file.

In progress
Kentucky
Coming first
Next up
Indiana
Coming after KY
Then
Ohio
Final state in the series

What’s inside (Kentucky edition)

The Kentucky edition is a working guide — not a fluffy overview. Eight chapters walk through every stage of the probate process, plus front matter, a bonus chapter on the human side of administering an estate, and a substantial appendix of checklists, sample letters, worksheets, and forms you can actually use.

Front matter

  1. Before We Start
  2. When You Know It’s Coming
    Last-minute planning to put in place while you can — before it’s too late

Main chapters

  1. What Is Probate (and Why Does It Exist)?
  2. Getting Started — The First 30 Days
  3. Your Duties as Personal Representative
  4. Administering the Estate
  5. Taxes
  6. Real Estate in Kentucky Probate
  7. Closing the Estate
  8. When Things Get Complicated

Bonus Chapter: Finding the Words When It’s Hard to Speak

Closing Note

Appendix — the working materials

  • Checklist A: First 30 Days After Death
  • Checklist B: Executor/Administrator Task Timeline
  • Checklist C: Documents and Information to Gather (including Digital Assets)
  • Checklist D: Questions to Ask the Clerk’s Office Before Filing
  • Checklist E: Before You Close the Estate
  • Worksheets: Contact List · Asset and Debt Summary
  • Sample Letters 1–8: Financial institutions · Beneficiaries · Creditors · Social Security · Insurance · Employer · Utilities · County clerk
  • Instruction Sheet: How to Apply for an Estate EIN
  • Logs: Estate Administration Log · Communication Log
  • Form: Personal Property Receipt and Acknowledgment
  • Resource List

The book is in active development. The Indiana and Ohio editions will follow the same structure, adapted for each state’s specific probate rules, forms, and quirks.

Who this book is for

If your family situation looks like this, the Probate Playbook is built for you:

If any of these apply, you probably want an attorney instead:

The book will help you figure out which category you’re in before you commit to a DIY approach.

Get notified when it launches

Be the first to know.

Enter your email and I’ll let you know when each state edition launches. No spam, no marketing emails, no sharing your address with anyone. Just one note when the book is ready.

Facing a probate right now and need help today?

The book isn’t ready yet — and you may need an actual attorney either way. Reach out and I’ll connect you with a trusted probate attorney in your state. Cooper Law is focused on proactive estate planning, but I work with probate attorneys across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio.

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