To help illustrate why preventable problems occur, this article will focus on one aspect of estate planning called probate.

There are good reasons to want to avoid probate, and a lot of ways to do it.

Is it advisable to try to avoid probate? Most would say yes primarily for these reasons: Time– Probating an estate is an endeavor that takes time.

Here are two common ways to avoid probate on your bank accounts: Joint ownership. Joint ownership of bank accounts is one strategic way to bypass probate.

Creating a trust allows an estate to avoid probate costs. However, a trust itself costs money, and it takes time and attention to set up and maintain.

Reader Question: How can I avoid probate at death? Answer: Probate is a court administered process whereby at death, the court oversees the transfer of your probate property from your name to the ...

There are steps you can take now to avoid putting your heirs through the time and expense of probate.

Explore if all wills need probate, the steps involved in probating, how to avoid probate, the role of executors, and variations in probate laws.

For more information see Robert Adler and Michael J Hausman "Fixing Damaged ILITs (Plus a Checklist to Avoid Problems)" ABA Probate & Property July/August 2024 Edition, July 1, 2024.