When homeowners begin planning their estates, one question comes up more than almost any other: Isn’t there just a simple form I can fill out to pass my house to my kids and avoid probate?
Over the years, I’ve been asked many times whether a Transfer on Death (TOD) Deed is a good way to pass down property. These deeds were designed to simplify estate planning by avoiding probate—but in practice, they often create more problems than they solve. I no longer recommend TOD deeds to my clients—and I don’t draft them—because…
