When you die, estate planners say, one of the finest gifts you can leave your heirs is a plan for avoiding probate. Probate is a legal process that distributes a dead person’s assets and settles their ...

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 ...

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 ...

Unlike a will, a living trust does not go through probate, which can save time and reduce legal costs. This can help ...

Many people assume that creating a Last Will and Testament is the final step in protecting their family and their assets.

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 ...

Financial advisor Suze Orman has long warned that probate, the court-supervised process of validating a will and distributing ...

Gibson, Guest Columnist  The conversation around getting your affairs in order is becoming more mainstream. While it is much needed and well-intentioned, it is sometimes led by individuals without the ...

Q: I am retired and unmarried, and I have three children who live in other states. They don't get along very well. I'm trying to avoid probate when I die so that there will be nothing my children need ...

When someone dies, even seemingly simple assets like bank accounts can become complicated fast. Whether those funds can get ...

When you die, estate planners say, one of the finest gifts you can leave your heirs is a plan for avoiding probate. Probate is a legal process that distributes a dead person’s assets and settles their ...