What is Probate?

Probate is the legal process through which your estate is settled and distributed under the supervision of the court. Probate can be a time-consuming and costly process.

If you have a will, the probate court validates it and oversees the distribution of your assets according to the will’s instructions. If you have a trust, your assets typically avoid probate. By transferring assets to a trust during your lifetime, those assets can pass directly to your beneficiaries upon your death.