Probate

Everyone Wants to Avoid Probate
The probate process is important to ensuring that the estate of someone who dies is properly handled by paying off all creditors involved, paying all taxes, and distributing the remainder to the heirs and beneficiaries of the estate. 
However, it is widely known that the probate process can be slow, often tying up the decedent's assets and properties for months and often years at a time. 
Probate can often be a costly process too, with fees mounting up that can drain a considerable percentage of assets in any estate. 
For both of these reasons, many people want design their financial affairs so that their heirs and loved ones do not have to give money away to the probate process, and can receive their inheritances much quicker. (…)

Do I Need an Attorney in Probate Court? (…)

Common Questions About Probate

What is probate? (…)

An Introduction to Probate | What Exactly is Probate? (…)

Recommendations to Avoid Probate
The probate process when someone dies varies from state to state. 
There are many objections that people have against the present probate process.  One objection that people have is that the process can be quite lengthy, taking anywhere from six months to several years, and it can be very expensive, costing anywhere from 2 to 5 percent of the estate.  Two other objections are that the will becomes public, and the amounts in the estate also become public. 
Going through probate, the will does indeed become public and if anyone wants to look at it, they can.  However, the alternate of the will, the trust document, can also become a public document should anyone decide to bring a court action challenging the trust. (…)