Nevada SB 404 Probate Threshold Changes: When an Estate Qualifies for Summary Administration or General Administration
If someone you love recently died in Nevada and left behind property or money, Senate Bill 404 has been enacted to revise Nevada probate law. This law raises the dollar limits for all three types of probate processes in Nevada. Starting October 1, 2025, more estates qualify for faster, cheaper options under SB 404. The set aside limit jumps from $100,000 to $150,000. The summary administration limit increases from $300,000 to $500,000, and the general administration applies only to estates over $500,000. These changes could save Nevada families thousands of dollars and months of waiting.
Why do these changes matter?
If you’re handling an estate (whether you’re an executor, an heir, or just planning ahead), SB 404 means that the decisions you make now will affect your family’s money and timeline.
If you’re facing probate decisions in Nevada, contact John Park Law at 702-857-7879 or visit their office at 8930 W Sunset Road, Suite 200, Las Vegas, Nevada 89148 for help with your specific situation. Our Las Vegas probate administration lawyers can help you through this difficult time.
What SB 404 Actually Changes
Senate Bill 404 updates all the dollar limits that determine which probate process you must use in Nevada. The law recognizes that home prices and the cost of living have gone up a lot since lawmakers last changed these limits in 2011.
Here’s what changed:
- Set Aside for Small Estates: Increases from $100,000 to $150,000
- Summary Administration: Increases from $300,000 to $500,000
- General Administration: Required for estates over $500,000 (previously $300,000)
For families dealing with estates that fall in these ranges, these changes represent real opportunities. Qualifying for a simpler process means less time in court, lower legal fees, and faster access to inherited assets.
What used to be considered a medium-sized estate often now includes just a family home and basic savings. SB 404 adjusts the law to match today’s economy.
Understanding the Three Types of Probate
Nevada offers three different probate processes based on estate size. Each has different requirements, costs, and timelines.
Set Aside (Estates up to $150,000 or If the Decedent had a Pour-Over Will to a Trust)
This is the simplest and fastest option and takes about 4-6 weeks to complete. A set aside allows an individual to “set aside” the estate assets to the rightful beneficiary(ies) without going through formal probate at all. You file a petition with the court. If approved, the court orders the assets transferred directly to the individual.
A set aside is also allowed when a decedent had a Trust and a Last Will and Testament that states that all assets go to the Trust. This version of a Set Aside has no estate value limit as the assets were supposed to be in the Trust to begin with, but they were not placed in the Trust prior to the decedent passing.
Prior to SB 404, only estates worth $100,000 or less or set aside to a Trust, qualified for this procedure.
Summary Administration (Estates up to $500,000)
This is a full probate with complete court supervision. It requires appointing a personal representative/administrator through court order, publishing notices to creditors in newspapers, filing detailed inventories and reports, getting court approval for major decisions, attending multiple court hearings, and waiting for a 60-day creditor claim period to end.
Summary administration typically takes six to twelve months. Legal fees commonly range from $5,000 to $15,000 or more, depending on how complicated the estate is and the gross estate value.
Prior to October 1, 2025 and prior to SB 404, estates up to $300,000 qualified.
General Administration (Required for Estates over $500,000)
This is a full probate with complete court supervision. It requires appointing a personal representative/administrator through court order, publishing notices to creditors in newspapers, filing detailed inventories and reports, getting court approval for major decisions, attending multiple court hearings, and waiting for a 90-day creditor claim period to end.
General administration typically takes nine to eighteen months. Legal fees commonly range from $10,000 to $20,000 or more, depending on how complicated the estate is and the gross estate value.
Prior to October 1, 2025 and prior to SB 404, general administration was required for estates over $300,000.
How Estate Value is Calculated
Figuring out which probate process you need starts with calculating the estate’s gross value. That means the total value of all probate assets before subtracting any unsecured debts and subtracting any secured encumbrances.
Assets that count toward probate thresholds include:
- Real estate titled only in the deceased person’s name
- Bank accounts without payable-on-death beneficiaries
- Investment accounts without transfer-on-death designations
- Vehicles titled solely to the deceased
- Personal property like jewelry, furniture, and collectibles.
Assets that don’t count because they pass outside probate include:
- Life insurance policies with named beneficiaries
- Retirement accounts (401k, IRA) with designated beneficiaries
- Property held in joint tenancy with right of survivorship
- Assets in a living trust
- Payable-on-death or transfer-on-death accounts.
You use the fair market value as of the date of death. For real estate, this often means getting an appraisal or using recent comparable sales. For vehicles, you can use Kelly Blue Book or similar guides. For bank and investment accounts, use the balance on the date of death.
Getting the valuation right matters because choosing the wrong probate process can cause major delays and extra costs.
Contact Our Nevada Probate Lawyers Today
Nevada probate law has many technical requirements and deadlines. Missing a filing deadline or using the wrong procedure can make estate administration much harder.
An experienced probate attorney at our firm can correctly value the estate, figure out which assets need probate, advise on the right administration method, and handle required filings and notices. This help proves especially valuable for estates near the dollar limits where the choice of procedure makes a major difference.
For families in the Las Vegas and Henderson area, working with local lawyers who understand Nevada’s specific probate procedures and recent law changes ensures you follow the rules and work efficiently.
John Park Law provides complete probate help for Nevada families. Contact our office at 702-857-7879 or fill out our confidential contact form to discuss your estate administration needs.
John Park is a highly experienced attorney in estate planning, probate, business law and guardianship to help people organize the elements of their lives through careful estate planning and asset protection measures.