NOTICE TO SERVICE PROVIDERS:
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is pleased to invite you to participate in a series of Electronic Probate System (EPS) training sessions taking place across Alaska this July. These sessions follow the official launch of EPS on July 13, marking a significant modernization effort within the BIA probate program.
EPS is a new, streamlined case‑management system designed to improve how probate cases are created, tracked, and processed. The system will support clearer visibility into case status, strengthen data accuracy, and improve coordination between BIA, Tribes, Villages, and Service Providers, enhancing the overall experience for Alaska Native families.
Alaska and its Service Providers will be the first in the nation to receive hands‑on EPS training immediately following the system’s rollout, with sessions offered across the Region to support early adoption and ensure day‑one readiness. Each session will be available for both in‑person and virtual attendance, allowing participants to join in the manner that best fits their needs.
Please feel free to extend the invitation to Tribal and Village personnel who support probate‑related responsibilities, including those who assist families, prepare case information, or help manage estate matters within their communities. We encourage you to share this invitation broadly so all relevant staff have the opportunity to participate.
We look forward to working together as we begin this important transition into the EPS era.
Training Sites, Dates & Times
- Fairbanks — Tuesday, July 14 (8:00 AM–5:00 PM) - TCC, Chief Peter John Tribal Center, 122 1st Ave, Fairbanks, AK
- Nome — Wednesday, July 15 (10:00 AM–4:00 PM) - Kawerak, Inc., 500 Seppala Dr, Nome, AK
- Kotzebue — Thursday, July 16 (11:30 AM–4:30 PM) - Maniilaq Association, 733 2nd Avenue, Kotzebue, AK
- Anchorage — Friday, July 17 (8:30 AM–4:00 PM) - BIA Regional Office 3601 C Street Suite 1200 Anchorage, AK
How to RSVP
MS Form Link: You're Invited: Electronic Probate System (EPS) Training in Alaska! Please RSVP by July 9th. Open NOW and will close COB July 9th.
Kindly RSVP by July 9, 2026 so we can plan for space, materials, and seating at each location.
If you have questions or need additional information, please don't hesitate to reach out to Theresa Powless (theresa_powless@btfa.gov). We look forward to seeing you there.
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Program Information:
Probate and Estate Services is required to gather information regarding the decedent’s family history, ownership of trust or restricted land interests (i.e., Native Allotments, inherited interests), and trust personalty (Individual Indian Money (IIM) account). The probated estates of Trust or Restricted Lands and Trust Personalty owned by an Alaska Native or American Indian are treated differently than other lands or funds. The probate procedures are federally regulated pursuant to 25 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 15 – Probate of Indian Estates, Except for Members of the Osage Nation and the Five Civilized Tribes; and the 43 CFR Part 30 – Indian Probate Hearings Procedures. Under 25 CFR part 15 and 43 CFR part 30, several federal agencies within the DOI are required to determine the proper distribution of the Trust Assets in accordance with a valid will or, in the absence of a will, in accordance with applicable Tribal, Federal, or State laws of intestate succession.
In addition to the Regional Office located in Anchorage, Alaska, twenty-three (23) compact (PL-638) tribal organizations (within their jurisdiction) are authorized to obtain the necessary documentation in determining the proper probate distribution for those decedents owning trust or restricted land interests. Once a decedent’s probate package is submitted and reviewed by the Regional Office, all information and documentation are transferred to Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) for adjudication.
After OHA issues a probate order, the Division works with other trust offices, such as the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration (BTFA) and the Land Titles and Records Office to distribute the assets. As a result, from the time the BIA is notified of an individual's death until the time the Trust or Restricted Lands and Trust Personalty is distributed to the heirs, can be very lengthy.
Once initiated, the following documents may be required to complete the probate process:
- The decedent’s original death certificate and a copy of their birth certificate. (Upon request, the original can be returned to you.)
- A completed OHA-7, Data for Heirship Finding & Family History Form.
- The original or original certified copy of any Last Will & Testaments the decedent may have executed, including codicils (amendments) or revocations, if any.
- Copies of birth certificates for children, if any.
- Copies of the decedent’s marriage and/or divorce records, if any.
- Tribal enrollment documents of the decedent and potential heirs and devisees.
- Names and current addresses of the decedent’s potential heirs and devisees.
- Judgments or claims against the decedent’s estate, including court orders requiring payment of spousal or child support, if any.
A complete list of documents that may be requested during the probate process are included in federal regulation 25 CFR 15.105.
To report the death of a loved one, please call (907) 931-7435 or email the decedent’s death certificate and the completed death notification report to ak_pes_deathnotice@bia.gov.
If you have any questions, please contact PES at (907) 931-7435, or AK.PES@BIA.GOV or through our mailing address:
Probate and Estate Services, 3601 C Street – Suite 1200 – MC 303, Anchorage AK 99503
Probate operates under the following:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301, 503; 25 U.S.C. 9, 372-74, 410, 2201 et seq; 43 U.S.C. 1201, 1457
For regulations pertaining to the probate of Indian trust estates within the Probate Hearings Division, Office of Hearings and Appeals, see 43 CFR part 30 – Indian Probate Hearings Procedures
