Does a Revocable Living Trust avoid probate?

One of the most common questions is "Does a Revocable Living Trust Avoid Probate?"

By creating a revocable living trust, you can avoid probate court and ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes. Probate court can be a lengthy and expensive process, but with a revocable living trust, your assets can be transferred to your beneficiaries quickly and without any unnecessary delays.

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Not only does a revocable living trust avoid probate, but it also allows you to maintain control over your assets during your lifetime. You can make changes to the trust at any time, and you can even serve as the trustee while you are alive. This means that you can continue to manage and use your assets as you see fit. 

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How long does it take?

The Do it For You Estate Plan paperwork takes about 2 hours to complete. This is shorter than going to an attorney's office 3-6 times because we feel your time is valuable and want to make the process easy to complete (and we don't have to justify the Porsche sitting out front). The actual review time is much shorter because you are taking the time to work through our workbook and think about how you want your estate plan to be set up ahead of time.

And after the estate plan is completed, you will have a little work on your own to go and transfer your assets to your trust.   

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Is it legal?

All our Estate Plans (Do it For You and DIY) are attorney reviewed and customized by you. Each one is legally-valid, specific to you and your life, and created to meet your specific needs. To ensure your Estate Plan is legally binding, you will need to sign, notarize and witness the documents. 

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Is my information secure?

We use the latest security and encryption procedures to ensure your information is safe and secure. We also make it a policy to not require sensitive information to be transmitted without the proper procedures in place. We will never sell or share your information without consent. 

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Are there payment plans?

Yes, payment plans are available for the DIY Your Estate Plan package. We believe everyone should have an estate plan in place and aim to make that affordable and accessible to all. 

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What happens if I die without a will or estate plan?

If you pass away without a Will or Estate Plan in place, the state will decide what happens to your assets and your minor children. This is known as dying "intestate" and the state laws will dictate what happens through the court process called probate. 

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What is Probate?

Probate is the legal process through which the court oversees how an estate (a dead person's things) will be administered, paid, and distributed. Even if you have a Will, your heirs will have to go through the probate process. It is not a quick process; an average probate takes around a year to a year and a half to complete. 

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What is a Revocable Living Trust?

It is a legal document that states how you want to manage your estate (your things) and distribute your property when you pass away. Once created and signed, you will transfer your ownership of your assets to the trust, to then be managed by you during your lifetime. You still remain in complete control of your property. This avoids probate and the court process after you pass since you've transferred those assets to be managed by the trust.