Probate Avoidance

Probate is the state-run process administered by the Circuit Court in the county of a deceased person’s residence at the time of death which oversees the administration of estates.  Even that description is a mouthful.  In reality, the probate court’s function is to check up on the executors or administrators of estates to make sure they are doing their jobs correctly.  Sounds quite reasonable, doesn’t it?  In theory, it probably is.  Unfortunately, like many activities run by the government, this one is often mired in beauracracy and “red tape.”  Many times, an overwhelmed executor will devote months and months to the probate process only to finally give up and hire a probate attorney to handle the daunting task.  No offense to probate attorneys, but once they are hired to handle the probate process, every dollar that goes to pay their bills is one dollar that will not go to the estate’s beneficiaries.

A Revocable Living Trust enables you to transfer many, if not the bulk of your assets out of what is called your “Probate Estate” during your lifetime.  That means that after your death, very few, if any, assets will be subject to the probate process, thus greatly reducing, or even eliminating the need for your loved ones to spend months paperwork or hiring an attorney to do the paperwork for them.

Contact us for a free probate avoidance consultaton.

Flanders and Wade provides affordable estate planning services to all of Northern Virginia including Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Reston, McLean and Vienna.