Part of estate planning involves planning for probate. Unless an estate is too small, nearly every single adult that passes away in the US will leave behind an estate that must go through probate. To find out what might be part of your probate and what might skip it, read on.
What is Probate?
Ever since people have died leaving behind bills, probate has existed. Probate is the legal means of combing through an estate, meaning its debts and its assets, and settling everything once and for all. Probate involves an orderly, state-mandated approach to parsing property to beneficiaries after assuring that the estate doesn't owe anyone any money. It also directs executors or personal representatives to keep estate property safe while the state determines the value of the estate. After all, large estates can be subject to taxation for the beneficiaries.
What Doesn't Pass Through Probate?
All the below forms of property can be left out of probate. That means they are not part of the public record dealing with the death and the survivors don't have to wait for probate to be complete to get their inheritances.
While probate might be inevitable for many, that doesn't mean you cannot simplify things by dealing with at least some of your property in other ways that make things easier for your loved one. By all means, make out a will but speak to an estate planning attorney about using some of the handy methods above as well.
For more information, contact an estate planning attorney near you.
Share12 January 2022
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