Avoiding Attorneys and Probate

Probate is the process by which the court oversees the adminsitration of your estate when you pass on.  If your estate is valued at over $100,000, your estate will be subject to the full probate process. Thus virtually anyone who owns a home in Orange County and most business owners will have their estates subject to probate when they pass on if they have not have properly set up a Living Trust.

During probate your heirs will most likely have to:

• Hire a probate attorney
• Pay probate court costs
• Hire an appraiser
• Hire an executor (if you didn't appoint one in your will)
• Make several trips to the Probate court
• File pages upon pages of paperwork

The other downsides to probate are:

• The process takes 12-24 months to conclude
• Probate will remain open(and costs continue to run) until all beneficiaries turn 18
• Probate is a public process. The terms of your will, your list of assets and list of beneficiaries will be public information and are available to anyone including marketers who wishes to sell a product, investment or service to your beneficiaries.

Setting up a Living Trust is the easiest way to make sure your heirs avoid the cost and delays of probate. Properly structured. a Living Trust can ensure that your heir will not have hire an attorney or goto court upon your passing.

 Call the Law Offices of Brian Chew at 949.242.4514 to set up your free consultation.