I hear people say all the time that they have a Will, so their family should be set when they pass. This is just not true. An attorney once said “The whole purpose of a Will is to give instructions to the Probate Court.” Further, a Will doesn’t become “effective” until the Probate Court accepts it as valid. Probating a Will can be a very lengthy and very costly process. Probate costs can include Court fees, fees to the person (attorney or Legal Document Assistant) who is assisting you in the process, bond fees if the Will doesn’t include the correct language waiving bond for the Executor, appraisal fees and more.

On the other hand, if one has a trust, the process is much easier and much less costly. The main purpose of a trust is to keep your assets out of the Probate Court. Administering a trust takes much less time than probating a Will. If you want to make sure your loved ones are set after you pass, consider a trust.

At Court Forms Plus, we type trust packages that include a Declaration of Trust, Pour Over Wills, Powers of Attorney, and much more. Give me a call at 209-836-5430 or email me at debbie@courtformsplus.com to see how I can help you with a trust.

“I am not an attorney. I can only offer self-help

services at your specific direction.”