When you die, estate planners say, one of the finest gifts you can leave your heirs is a plan for avoiding probate. Probate ...

Christy Bieber has a JD from UCLA School of Law and began her career as a college instructor and textbook author. She has been writing full time for over a decade with a focus on making financial and ...

Jehan Crump-Gibson is an accomplished attorney and founder of her own law firm, Greal Lakes Legal Group, PLLC, specializing in business, real estate, and probate law. With over 16 years of experience, ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bob Carlson researches all facets of retirement finances. About 70% of U.S. adults don’t have a will or trust, according to ...

No, not all wills go into probate. Whether a will must go through probate depends on various factors, such as the type and value of the deceased's assets, how those assets were owned, and the specific ...

Probate is the legal process for distributing your property after you die. Many, or all, of the products featured on this page are from our advertising partners who compensate us when you take certain ...

Having a probate court wade through your estate can be time-consuming, stressful, and expensive. It can also be a public spectacle if disputes develop. Fortunately, there are numerous strategies to ...

Probate is the legal procedure that takes place after a person's death to ensure that their will is valid, their debts are paid, and their assets are properly distributed to their heirs or ...

We constantly hear from advisors that we should plan our affairs in such a way as to avoid probate. What does the phrase mean and what property is subject to the probate process? What planning is ...

Avoiding probate can save your beneficiaries time, reduce costs and protect their privacy while your estate is being settled. You can keep your Connecticut estate out of the probate court system by ...

Avoiding probate in Maine can help those looking to streamline the transfer of assets after their passing. Probate can be a lengthy and costly process, involving court supervision of the estate’s ...

When a Virginian dies with assets such as a house, car, bank accounts and investments, these assets usually must go through probate before being distributed to heirs. The probate process ensures that ...