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SF0104 • 2025

Probate code revisions.

AN ACT relating to the probate code; amending maximum values for certain proceedings relating to the probate of estates; clarifying the effect of certain disclaimers of property; and providing for an effective date.

Budget Labor Taxes
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Senator Crago
Last action
2025-03-19
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2025

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on how existing probate cases will be affected.

Changes to Probate Code

This law changes how much money an estate can have for certain probate actions and clarifies when a person can give up property they inherited.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends the maximum value of estates qualifying for specific probate procedures from $200,000 to $400,000.
  • Clarifies that if someone gives up an inheritance in writing but it doesn't count as a tax-free gift, their decision still works to pass on the property.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who inherit estates worth between $200,000 and $400,000.
  • Courts handling probate cases for small estates.

Terms To Know

Probate
The legal process of dealing with a person's property after they die.
Disclaimer
A written statement where someone gives up an inheritance or other rights to property.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how the changes will affect existing probate cases.
  • The law only applies after July 1, 2025.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0104H2001

2nd reading • Representative Lawley

Corrected, Failed

Plain English: The amendment adds an appropriation of $180,708 for the Wyoming Supreme Court to hire two full-time employees, with conditions if other legislation is enacted.

  • Adds a new section providing $180,708 from the general fund to the Wyoming Supreme Court's administrative office.
  • Authorizes two full-time employee positions in the Wyoming Supreme Court’s administrative office.
  • Specifies that this appropriation should be doubled and included in the court's standard budget for the next fiscal biennium.
  • The amendment fails to specify what happens if other legislation (2025 Senate File 0001 or 2025 House Bill 0001) is enacted, which could reduce the appropriation and employee positions.
  • It's unclear how this amendment fits with the bill's original purpose of revising probate code rules.
SF0104HS001

Standing Committee • House Minerals, Business and Economic Development

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes the word 'disclaimer' and the word 'or' from a specific section of the probate code.

  • Removes the term 'disclaimer' from the text.
  • Removes the conjunction 'or' from the same sentence.
  • The exact impact of these changes on the overall meaning and application of the probate code is not clear without additional context.
SF0104S2001

2nd reading • Senator Olsen

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment reduces the maximum value for certain proceedings in probate cases from $500,000 to $400,000.

  • Changes 'five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00)' to 'four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)' in multiple sections of the probate code.
SF0104SW001

Committee of the Whole • Senator Nethercott

Failed

Plain English: The amendment reduces the maximum value for certain proceedings in probate cases from $500,000 to $300,000.

  • Changes 'five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00)' to 'three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00)' in multiple sections of the probate code.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-19 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 168

  2. 2025-03-19 Governor

    Governor Signed SEA No. 0085

  3. 2025-03-05 House

    H Speaker Signed SEA No. 0085

  4. 2025-03-04 Senate

    S President Signed SEA No. 0085

  5. 2025-03-04 LSO

    Assigned Number SEA No. 0085

  6. 2025-03-04 Senate

    S Concur:Passed 30-1-0-0-0

  7. 2025-03-04 Senate

    S Received for Concurrence

  8. 2025-03-04 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 60-0-2-0-0

  9. 2025-03-03 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  10. 2025-02-28 House

    H 2nd Reading:Laid Back

  11. 2025-02-27 House

    H COW:Passed

  12. 2025-02-24 House

    H Placed on General File

  13. 2025-02-24 House

    H09 - Minerals:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 8-0-1-0-0

  14. 2025-02-18 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H09 - Minerals

  15. 2025-02-06 House

    H Received for Introduction

  16. 2025-02-06 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 25-5-1-0-0

  17. 2025-02-05 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  18. 2025-02-04 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  19. 2025-01-23 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  20. 2025-01-23 Senate

    S01 - Judiciary:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  21. 2025-01-16 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S01 - Judiciary

  22. 2025-01-13 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  23. 2025-01-10 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 25LSO-0615

Bill No.:

SF0104

Effective:

7/1/2025

LSO No.:

25LSO-0615

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0085

Chapter No.:

168

Prime Sponsor:

Crago

Catch Title:

Probate code revisions.

Has Report:

No

Subject:

Probate code revisions.

Summary/Major Elements:

This bill revises the maximum value of an estate for purposes of certain actions under the probate code from two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) to four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00).

The bill also provides that a written irrevocable disclaimer of an interest in property that does not otherwise qualify as a qualified disclaimer shall be effective to terminate and pass an interest in property if the disclaiming party acknowledges in a prior or contemporaneous writing that the disclaimer does not qualify as a disclaimer for federal or other tax purposes.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
25LSO-0615

ORIGINAL Senate

ENGROSSED
File No
.
SF0104

ENROLLED ACT NO. 85,

SENATE

SIXTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2025 General Session

AN ACT relating to the probate code; amending maximum values for certain proceedings relating to the probate of estates; clarifying the effect of certain disclaimers of property; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 2
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1
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201(a)(i), 2
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1
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204(a)(i), 2
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1
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205(a), 2
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1
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403 by creating a new subsection (d), 2
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11
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201 and 2
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11
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202(a)(intro) are amended to read:

2
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1
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201.

Payment of indebtedness and delivery of tangible personal property or instruments evidencing debt.

(a)

Not earlier than thirty (30) days after the death of a decedent, any person indebted to the decedent or having possession of tangible personal property or an instrument evidencing a debt, obligation, stock or chose in action belonging to the decedent shall make payment of the indebtedness or deliver the tangible personal property or the instrument evidencing the debt, obligation, stock or chose in action to the person or persons claiming to be the distributee or distributees of the property or the attorney for the distributee or distributees, upon being presented an affidavit, filed as provided by subsection (c) of this section, made by or on behalf of the distributee or distributees stating:

(i)

The value of the entire estate located in Wyoming subject to administration, either testate or intestate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed
two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)
four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)
;

2
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1
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204.

Collection of claims of certain creditors of decedent by affidavit.

(a)

Not earlier than ninety (90) days after the death of a decedent, the United States, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or the state of Wyoming, or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof, to whom the decedent was indebted or to whom the decedent's estate would be indebted if the estate were being administered upon, may collect all of the assets of the decedent referred to in W.S. 2
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1
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201, upon presentation of an affidavit to the parties referred to in W.S. 2
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1
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201, stating:

(i)

The value of the entire estate, wherever located, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed
two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)
four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)
;

2
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1
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205.

Summary procedure for distribution of personal or real property; application for decree; notice by publication; presumptive evidence of title; effect of false statements.

(a)

If any person dies who is the owner of personal or real property, including mineral interests, but whose entire estate including personal property does not exceed
two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)
four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)
, less liens and encumbrances, the person or persons claiming to be the distributee or distributees of the decedent may file, not earlier than thirty (30) days after the decedent's death, an application for a decree of summary distribution of property.

2
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1
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403.

Qualification; effective date.

(d)

A written irrevocable disclaimer of an interest in property that does not otherwise qualify as a qualified disclaimer under subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall be effective to terminate and pass an interest in property if the disclaiming party acknowledges in a prior or contemporaneous writing that the disclaimer does not qualify as a disclaimer for federal or other tax purposes under this section.

2
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11
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201.

Probate of estates of nonresidents.

In case of a nonresident's estate having property in this state not exceeding in value the sum of
two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)
four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)
, which estate has been duly probated and settled in another state, the probate of the estate in this state may be dispensed with upon filing with the district judge in the proper county a petition under oath showing the facts in the case together with certified copies of the petition, order of appointment of executor or administrator, inventory and final decree of distribution of estate therein, and a full showing that debts of the estate have been paid and the district judge giving notice by publication for the period of three (3) weeks of the intention of the petitioner to have the probate proceedings admitted in this state as a probate of the estate. If on the day set for hearing the petition no objection is made, the judge shall make an order admitting the certified copies of the proceedings in the estate to record in his court and they shall be considered and treated from that time as original proceedings in his court and shall be conclusive evidence of the facts therein shown. If at such hearing any creditor objects to the proceedings and shows that the decedent is indebted to him, his claim not having been presented in the original state, the matter shall be postponed and the creditor or other person shall be allowed to petition for letters of administration as in other cases. This section shall not be construed to prevent the courts of this state from appointing a temporary administrator in this state to collect and preserve the property of the estate of the deceased person which may be located in this state.

2
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11
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202.

Nonresident property in Wyoming; disposition.

(a)

In case of a nonresident's estate having property in this state not exceeding in value the sum of
two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00)
four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000.00)
, which estate is being duly probated and settled in another state, the Wyoming district judge may enter an order for the sale of the property located in this state provided:

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2025
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

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