Avoiding Probate
Probate is the court-supervised process of distributing an estate. It is slow, expensive, and public. A revocable living trust bypasses probate entirely, passing your assets directly to your beneficiaries without court involvement.
- Skip months of court-supervised delay
- Avoid probate fees that come out of your estate
- Keep your estate private, not public record
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Why Probate Is Worth Avoiding
Probate costs come directly from the estate and are based on the gross value of probate assets, not the net. In California, statutory probate fees on a $1 million estate can exceed $46,000. In Idaho, the process is less expensive but still takes months and requires court filings.
Beyond cost, probate is public. The will, the inventory of assets, and the names of beneficiaries all become part of the public court record. A trust keeps all of it private.
In California, probate on a $1 million estate can exceed $46,000, and all of it becomes public record.
A properly funded living trust avoids the fees, the delay, and the public exposure.
How a Trust Avoids Probate
Assets held in a revocable living trust pass directly to beneficiaries upon the grantor’s death without any court involvement. The successor trustee distributes the assets according to the trust’s terms, with no filing, no waiting, and no probate fees.
The key requirement is that the trust must be properly funded during the grantor’s lifetime, which means your assets are actually retitled into the trust’s name.
Work directly with Travor Moses
Travor Moses is an estate planning and elder law attorney licensed in Idaho, California and Florida. When you reach out, you work with him directly, not a call center or an intake queue.
He explains your options in plain language and builds a estate plan around your family and your goals, not a fill-in-the-blank template. Initial consultations are always free.
Meet TravorKeep Your Estate Out of Court
Travor Moses can show you whether a trust is the right way to avoid probate for your family.
More About Avoiding Probate
Assets held in the decedent’s name alone, without a beneficiary designation, trust assignment, or joint ownership, must go through probate regardless of whether a trust exists. A pour-over will captures these assets and directs them into the trust through probate, but they still go through the court process. Proper trust funding minimizes these situations.
Keep Your Estate Out of Probate
The cost and delay of probate are avoidable with the right plan. Travor Moses offers free consultations to help you put one in place.