Estate means all of the property of a decedent, trust, absentee, internee or person for whom a guardian has been appointed as originally constituted, and as it from time to time exists during administration.

• A. All of the property of a decedent, trust, absentee, internee or person for whom a guardian has been appointed as originally constituted, and as it from time to time exists during administration.
• B. The will and testament of a person.
• C. The court order appointing an administrator.
• D. The net value of assets after debts.

Answer: (A)

The main concept being tested is what counts as the estate for probate and administration. The estate includes all property owned by the decedent (or the person under guardianship) from the moment it is originally constituted, and it remains those assets as administration proceeds—including anything that exists in the estate from time to time during administration. This broad scope covers not only assets owned at death but also property that arises or is discovered, or income and other assets that come into the estate while it is being administered.

That’s why the best choice defines the estate as all of the property of a decedent, trust, absentee, internee, or person for whom a guardian is appointed as originally constituted, and as it from time to time exists during administration. It captures both the initial set of assets and those that appear or continue to exist during administration. The will by itself is a directive for disposition, not the whole pool of property. The court order appointing an administrator is a procedural instrument, not the estate itself. The net value after debts is a financial measure, not the full scope of property that constitutes the estate.