Dear Liz: I was perplexed by your column in which you pooh-poohed pay-on-death and transfer-on-death accounts in favor of trusts. But you gave no specific explanation.

Rather, you said trusts “generally allow a smoother, more organized settlement of the estate than other probate-avoidance options.”

Would you please explain what is smoother and more organized than POD and TOD transfers? (Beneficiary deeds fall into the same category as POD and TOD, to my way of thinking.)

These transfers simply involve a copy of the death certificate and some minimal paperwork. What could be simpler?

Answer: The fact that you asked this question suggests you may not be familiar with the many ways these transfers can cause unintended problems. An estate planning attorney could fill you in.

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