Probate is the main legal process used to tie up someone’s affairs after they die in Washington State. Probate is a word that scares a lot of people, but it really shouldn’t. Probate has a bad rap because there are a lot of states, like California and New York, where probate is a much more expensive, involved, and time-consuming process.
In Washington probate is fairly straightforward and less expensive than it is in other states. We are generally considered the second cheapest state in the country for probate. As a result, probate is a lot more common here than in other states where it makes more sense to do the kind of complex planning necessary to avoid it.
The purpose of probate is to put somebody in charge of finishing up the decedents unfinished business: to make sure their bills get paid, their taxes get paid, and that their money gets transferred to either whoever they’ve left it to in their Will or whoever would get it under state law if they didn’t have a Will.
Curious about the probate process? Check out our other blog posts on probate. Want to help with a probate? Phinney Estate Law offers free ½ hour consultation to all probate clients. Call to schedule your consultation, (206) 459-1908, or email us at [email protected].
In Washington probate is fairly straightforward and less expensive than it is in other states. We are generally considered the second cheapest state in the country for probate. As a result, probate is a lot more common here than in other states where it makes more sense to do the kind of complex planning necessary to avoid it.
The purpose of probate is to put somebody in charge of finishing up the decedents unfinished business: to make sure their bills get paid, their taxes get paid, and that their money gets transferred to either whoever they’ve left it to in their Will or whoever would get it under state law if they didn’t have a Will.
Curious about the probate process? Check out our other blog posts on probate. Want to help with a probate? Phinney Estate Law offers free ½ hour consultation to all probate clients. Call to schedule your consultation, (206) 459-1908, or email us at [email protected].
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