Estate Planning

Probate

Probate is the legal process where a court validates your will and supervises the distribution of your estate. It involves filing with a court, notifying creditors and beneficiaries, paying debts and taxes, and distributing assets. Probate takes time — often 6 to 18 months — and costs money. Assets with named beneficiaries, jointly owned assets, and assets in trusts typically avoid probate.

In short

Probate is the court process that validates your will and supervises your estate distribution. It can take months and cost money. Good planning can reduce or avoid it.