Ways to avoid probate include how the title is held to your assets. You could be in a trust-based plan or you can be in a will-based plan. If you’re in a will-based plan and you want to avoid probate, we can work with you to title your assets in a way that probate is not required. You still have to always file an original will in the local court but a full probate is not as necessary.

So it would be titled to real estate, joint tenancy with right of survivorship, payable on death accounts for investment and bank accounts, making sure your beneficiary designations on your retirement account and your life insurance are filled out properly to the individuals or charities that you wish. You know, not filling out a beneficiary designation ends up with the asset falling to the estate, which means that it gets probated. So there are ways to avoid probate with a good estate plan and with a little forethought.