As you start thinking about your estate plan, you’ll likely hear one piece of professional advice: do what you can to avoid probate. But what is probate, and why should you steer clear of it?
In simple terms, probate is the court-supervised process of distributing your assets after you’re gone, according to your will or state law if you didn’t leave one. While it serves a purpose, many people find it beneficial to avoid probate whenever possible, and for good reason. Probate can be costly, time-consuming and very public, creating significant problems down the line. It can deplete your wealth, delay your beneficiaries’ access to much-needed resources and open the door to potential conflicts among family members.
Strategies for avoiding probate
Fortunately, there are ways to avoid probate and ensure a smoother transition for your beneficiaries. These include:
- Setting up trusts: This involves transferring the ownership of your assets to a trust managed by a trustee for the benefit of your beneficiaries. This arrangement allows your wealth to avoid probate, ensuring your loved ones receive their inheritance quickly and privately.
- Establishing joint ownership: When you own an asset jointly with someone else, such as a spouse or another family member, the asset automatically passes to the surviving owner when one of you passes away, avoiding probate altogether.
- Creating payable-on-death accounts: This allows you to name a beneficiary to directly inherit the funds in your bank accounts upon your passing.
- Gifts and transfers: Legally transferring ownership of assets to your loved ones while you are still alive is another way of avoiding probate. However, keep in mind that large gifts may be subject to gift taxes, and once you transfer ownership, you no longer have control over those assets.
By exploring these strategies, you can create a comprehensive estate plan that meets your unique needs and ensures a smooth transition for your loved ones.
Effective estate planning goes beyond just avoiding the probate process. It is about ensuring that the wishes you establish stand the test of time and that your loved ones remain protected and cared for even after your passing. Consider enlisting the help of an attorney who can guide you through the complexities of probate and help you create a personalized plan that reflects your goals and priorities.