Does naming an executor avoid probate?

Mena: My question's simple. I own my own home and a number of rental properties. I have one daughter whom I would like to have inherit everything. Can I simply make her the executor of my estate and leave it at that?

Attorney Tom Olsen: When you do a will, in that will, you are going to nominate her to be the executor personal representative of your estate, but she's not the executive personal representative until you've passed away and the court has appointed her the executor. Mena, nominated her to be the executor of the will, that is standard procedure. Nothing at all unusual about that, but that's not going to do anything as far as avoiding probate for you when you pass away. Is that what you were getting at Mena?

Mena: Yes, what I'd like her to do is inherit everything that I have directly with as little legal expense as possible just to simply, "Oh, okay. He's dead, so she is now automatically the owner of all my properties."

Attorney Olsen: There's nothing that's going to do that for you other than sitting down with an estate-planning attorney like Olson Law Group, where we're all about helping people to avoid probate. Mena, we have all the tools we need to help you avoid probate, whether we're using a lady bird deed to avoid probate on your properties. We might be doing a living trust to avoid probate for you. Mena, I hear you and you're on the right track. It's just time to get it done. Mena, at the Olsen Law Group, we'll be pleased to assist you. We do offer a free initial consultation, Mena.

We can do that over the phone, in-person, via Zoom, and we do Saturday appointments, Mena. We invite you to call the Olsen Law Group and schedule an appointment to meet with one of our attorneys at 407-423-5561.