Most people know that when someone dies without a will, the courts must be involved to settle the estate and decide who gets their stuff. This process is called probate. What most people don't know is that a will alone will NOT ensure those they love are saved from having to go through this lengthy, expensive, and public probate process. There are so many reasons to avoid court involvement in your family affairs, but did you notice the word “public”? Yes, these records are public. Even worse, if there is conflict, it is transcribed word for word and becomes part of that record. Maintaining privacy is a great reason to include a trust in your estate plan. How do you avoid all this? An up-to-date, fully funded trust can be administered quickly, inexpensively, and privately. Here is a great article this week from the Motley Fool about using a trust to maintain privacy: https://lnkd.in/eaAWpWfw