By Jehan Crump-Gibson

For many families, the major asset that gets passed down to future generations is a home. Can you guess what asset most commonly winds up in probate court? You probably got it right: a HOME. Often, it is because people do not know the rule of thumb. The rule of thumb is: if there is property in your name alone with no living beneficiary or joint owner at the time you pass away, it must go through the probate process before it can LEGALLY pass to anyone else. If there is a joint owner, that person must have full rights of survivorship to avoid the probate process. Full rights of survivorship allow the property to pass to the surviving owner automatically upon the death of the deceased owner.

When it comes to real property, “title” is the concept of ownership, and a d

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