Online Probate Forms for Heirs applying for the Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Program

Alaska Legal Services Corporation has created a free guided interview to assist heirs and families of deceased Alaska Native Veterans that are eligible for the Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Program of 2019. The interview will help select the appropriate pro se probate petition forms for use in Alaska State Court and ask you for the information needed to complete those forms. The forms, along with filing instructions, will be available at the end of the interview to be downloaded or saved. Please review the forms and instructions carefully to make sure no information is missing and that you sign the forms where needed before filing with the Court.

This service is free, but please remember that it does not provide legal advice and does not take the place of advice from a lawyer.

The probate petition forms, along with any other required documents, will allow you to file for probate in Alaska State Court and become appointed as the personal representative for the estate of a deceased Alaska Native Veteran who is eligible for the Alaska Native Vietnam-Era Veterans Allotment Program of 2019. Once appointed as personal representative you are permitted to apply with the Bureau of Land Management for a Native Allotment on behalf of the veteran’s estate.

Please note, the personal representative is not entitled to the Native Allotment. The Native Allotment will be certified to the heirs of the deceased veteran.

1. Confirm the Veteran’s eligibility for the Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Program. You should have received an eligibility letter on behalf of the deceased Veteran from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). If you have not received an eligibility letter (many mailing addresses for Veteran’s and their heirs are not updated with the BLM) then you should contact Candy Grimes at the BLM to inquire about the Veteran’s eligibility, confirm their eligibility, and update your contact information for future correspondence. Candy Grimes can be reached at: (907) 271-5998 or by email at: CGrimes@blm.gov 
2. Make sure you have all the necessary information about the Veteran, the Veteran’s family, and the Veteran’s estate before proceeding (see below for a list of this information).
3. Learn more about the Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Program and probate with ALSC's Video Introduction to the Alaska Native Vietnam-Era Veteran's Allotment Program and Probate.
4. You can watch our webinar explaining how to use the online probate forms.

The online interview can prepare the forms you need, but to do that it will need the following information from you:

1.     The deceased veteran's name, date of birth, date of death, and last address; 
2.     If there was an Alaska probate proceeding for this deceased veteran, you will need to know the case number and location of that probate case. You can find this information on Courtview by searching the deceased veteran’s name in the Court system’s public database. 
3.     If there was no prior Alaska probate proceeding, you will need to know the following additional information: 

• whether the veteran had a will, and if so, where it is; 
• If the veteran had a will, the names and addresses of who was named in the will as the Personal Representative, and all others who were named in the will to receive something as beneficiaries. 
• The names and addresses of the veterans' family, including surviving spouse (if any), and children; also, if a child of the veteran was deceased at the time of the veteran's death, then the names and addresses of that child's children, if any; and 
• If the deceased veteran had no surviving spouse, and never had any children, the names and addresses of the veterans' other surviving relatives, including parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, uncles, aunts or cousins, if any.
   

The forms that come out of the interview should include instructions for what to do next.

Three things the Clerk of Court will need from you in order to accept those forms are: 

• A certified copy of the deceased Veteran’s Death Certificate (Vital Records Death Certificate Request Form found here); and
• An original copy of the deceased Veteran’s Last Will and Testament, if they had one and it is not currently on file with the Alaska State Court system (to check the Court’s online records to see if there is a will on file for the Veteran click here); and
• $250.00 for a filing fee, unless you have requested a fee exemption due to your inability to pay, which can be done through the interview.

**Link to ALSC's online probate interview for Alaska Native Veterans Allotment Program applicants**

This link connects to LawHelpInteractive.org, an external website, where your interview will begin shortly.

You can help us improve the interview and this page by telling us what worked and what didn't on our feedback survey. Thank you.

If you are unable to complete the self-help tool or need further assistance with your probate petition, please call Alaska Legal Services Corporation's statewide intake line at: 1-888-478-2572. For information on how to apply, please visit: www.alsc-law.org/apply-for-services/