An American flag drapes over the Pentagon in remembrance of those killed on 9/11 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Today (Friday) marks 25 years since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, that left nearly 3,000 dead and altered the face of Arlington and the entire country.
Across the nation, the milestone anniversary brings memorial rituals — wreath-laying, flag-flying, moments of silence, vigils and readings of victims’ names — and volunteer projects in tribute to a day that about half of U.S. adults remember as the most historic event of their lifetime, according to a new poll.
When a loved one passes away, families often face difficult decisions about funeral arrangements, finances, and the distribution of property. One common question is whether having a will automatically means the estate must go through probate.
Not necessarily. Whether probate is required in Virginia depends largely on how the deceased person’s assets were owned and whether those assets have another method of transferring to heirs or beneficiaries.
Understanding when probate is required—and when it can be avoided—can help families navigate estate administration with greater confidence.
What Is Probate in Virginia?
Probate is the legal process used to administer certain assets belonging to a deceased person, or decedent. In Virginia, probate generally takes place through the circuit court in the city or county where the decedent lived.
When probate is necessary, the court recognizes the will, if there is one, and appoints a personal representative to handle the estate. The personal representative is responsible for identifying and collecting assets, addressing valid debts and taxes, and distributing the remaining property according to the will or Virginia’s intestacy laws.
Importantly, having a will does not automatically mean every asset must pass through probate. A will generally controls probate assets, while certain property passes directly to another person through ownership arrangements or beneficiary designations.
When Is Probate Required?
Probate is generally necessary when someone dies owning assets in their individual name that do not have another method of transferring ownership.
Examples can include:
Real estate owned solely by the decedent
Bank accounts without joint ownership or beneficiary designations
Vehicles, jewelry, collections, or other personal property owned individually
In these situations, probate may be necessary to give the personal representative authority to transfer or distribute the property.
When Is Probate Not Required?
Some assets can transfer automatically after death and therefore may not need to pass through probate.
Jointly owned property: Assets held jointly with rights of survivorship generally pass to the surviving owner.
Beneficiary-designated accounts: Life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and certain bank accounts can pass directly to the beneficiaries named on the account.
Revocable living trusts: Assets properly transferred into a revocable living trust generally avoid probate because the trust owns the property rather than the deceased individual.
Virginia also provides a simplified option for certain small estates. Under Va. Code § 64.2-601, qualifying personal property valued at $75,000 or less may be transferred using a small estate affidavit rather than a full probate proceeding, provided the statutory requirements are satisfied.
This simplified procedure applies to qualifying personal property, not real estate, and can be particularly useful when an estate consists of modest assets such as a bank account or vehicle.
What Happens When Probate Is Required?
When probate is necessary, the personal representative must complete several steps before the estate can be closed. These typically include identifying and valuing estate assets, filing the required inventory, addressing creditor claims and taxes, and distributing assets to beneficiaries.
Virginia also imposes deadlines for certain estate filings. The inventory generally must be filed within four months after qualification, while the first accounting is generally due within 16 months.
Virginia is under new leadership—and with it comes a renewed commitment to fighting housing discrimination. Join the NAACP Arlington Branch, Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) of Virginia, and the Equal Rights Center for the 5th Annual Arlington Fair Housing Conference, a series of three virtual events. You’ll hear about the fair housing work of the Virginia Office of the Attorney General and Arlington County’s progress in advancing fair and equitable housing for all.
Friends, foodies, and City of Falls Church lovers, get ready for the Little City’s biggest celebration yet at the 🌟50th Annual Falls Church Festival! Festivities return on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 300 Park Ave.!
🌮 Dive into delicious, local eats from 17+ onsite eateries and breweries 🍻 Sip away in the beer garden and jam out to live music 🛍️ Peruse over 85 crafters, community groups, and merchant vendors 🎸 Bounce around the inflatables, children’s shows, and pony rides 🔎 Explore the festival through the Big 50 Scavenger Hunt
Traffic backups on I-395 during the morning commute this morning (via traffic camera)
A six-vehicle collision on southbound I-395 snarled traffic for some commuters this morning.
Police were dispatched to a six-vehicle accident prior to the entrance ramp to Washington Blvd, initial reports suggest. The first call came in just after 7 a.m.
ACFD putting up American flag over I-66 to commemorate 25th anniversary of 9/11 (Flickr pool photo by GM and MB)
Pentagon Memorial Closed Today — “The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial will be temporarily closed to the public from 3 a.m. through 12 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 11, with the exception of any victim’s families, survivors, or survivor’s families, in support of the 25th Anniversary 9/11 Observance Ceremony.” [Department of War]
Metro Pausing for Silence — Metro’s general manager said all trains and buses will stop for one minute at 9:37 a.m. today, the moment American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon, as part of a moment of silence marking the 25th anniversary of the attacks. [Tom Roussey/X]
Pentagon Center Still Unbuilt — The Pentagon is the only one of the three 9/11 attack sites without a visitor center, and the four-acre lot for its planned $100 million education center remains empty. A groundbreaking is scheduled for tomorrow, with the center now projected to open in 2029. [Washington Post]
Rescuer Recalls Pentagon Search — Retired Army Master Sgt. Mark Williams entered the burning Pentagon with an elite rescue team hours after the attack, searching for survivors and for his mentor. “It took me 20-something years to be able to say, I did my best, and I tried,” he said. [WJLA]
Evacuating the Pentagon — Renae Ditmer was working in the Pentagon basement that morning. “The nearly 25,000 people that had evacuated the building in less than two minutes filled every square inch of the northeast side of the building down to the Potomac River,” she wrote. [ICT]
Senators Push DCA Flight Cuts — Sens. Tim Kaine (D) and Mark Warner (D) will introduce a bill next week to cap arrivals at Reagan National at 28 per hour. “The convenience of 535 members of Congress can’t outweigh the safety of 25 million people who use that airport,” Kaine said. [Washington Post, Tim Kaine/X]
Rosslyn Towers Plan Abandoned — Snell Properties is asking Arlington County to terminate its approved plan for two residential towers totaling 740 units on N. Fort Myer Drive in Rosslyn. “The total development cost of the project now significantly exceeds the estimated completed value,” its land use attorney wrote. [WBJ]
USS Arlington Crew Runs 5K — U.S. Navy Capt. Vince Libosi and 50 sailors from the USS Arlington visited the Pentagon Memorial on Sept. 5 and ran in the annual Arlington Police, Fire, Sheriff & ECC 9/11 Memorial 5K, taking first place in the Military Teams category. The ship retains close ties to its namesake community. [RunWashington]
Bus Fare Evasion Dips — Metro says the share of bus riders not paying dropped from about 74% to 63% after an enforcement effort, but remains too high. Evasion runs 79% in Maryland and 73% in D.C., compared with 37% in Virginia, the agency told its board. [Tom Roussey/X]
Arlington Transit Growth Lags — Arlington Transit ridership grew 1.1% in the last fiscal year while Alexandria’s DASH climbed 10%, according to state data presented to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission. The General Assembly has directed a study of whether to merge ART, DASH, CUE and Fairfax Connector. [ALXnow]
Flags at Half-Staff Today — Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) has ordered U.S. and Virginia flags flown at half-staff on all local, state and federal buildings in the commonwealth in memory of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks. Flags will be lowered at sunrise and remain there until sunset. [Press Release]
Data Centers Drive Emissions — The Washington region is less than halfway toward its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 50% from 2005 levels by 2030, and data centers are the prime culprit, according to Council of Governments data. Data centers accounted for about 11% of regional emissions in 2023. [FFXnow]
Dominion Merger Hearings Set — The State Corporation Commission has ordered three in-person hearings on the proposed $67 billion NextEra-Dominion merger, the first Nov. 5 in Richmond. “This is not a case that, under normal circumstances, would warrant remote, in-person hearings. But this is not a normal case,” Commissioner Samuel Towell wrote. [Virginia Mercury]
It’s Friday — Rain showers are possible this morning, mostly before 9 a.m., with a 40% chance of precipitation. Then mostly cloudy skies and a high near 82. Winds will be light out of the northeast around 6 mph. Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 68. [NWS]
New Legal Notice — Applying for wine wholesaler/importer license; objections due within 30 days. [Public Notices]
There is a slight chance of showers early in the morning, with mostly cloudy skies and a high near 81°F. Winds will be from the northeast at 3 to 6 mph, and there is a 20% chance of precipitation. Friday night will remain mostly cloudy with a low around 67°F and calm winds. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“The only thing standing between you and your goal is the story you keep telling yourself as to why you can’t achieve it.” – Jordan Belfort
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More than two dozen firefighters were on hand for the Sept. 8 presentation. Civic Federation president Nicholas Giacobbe said the event was designed to show “how much the Arlington community appreciates and supports the fire department.”
Arlington’s young actors, designers, and theatre-loving families have a big Saturday ahead! Encore Stage & Studio is kicking off its fall season on Saturday, September 12 with two opportunities for kids to jump into the world of theatre: a FREE Fall Open House and a special Pre-Audition Workshop for Madeline’s Christmas.
Encore’s Fall Open House invites families with children from preschool through 8th grade to get a firsthand look at what’s coming this season.
