Bill Would Make it Easier to Avoid Probate

R Yasick

People may face difficulty in probate court trying to acquire the property left to them by a deceased relative.

AARP Virgin Islands is working to make those transitions easier, supporting a new law designed to streamline the process for handing down assets.

The bill, now in the Legislature, includes a series of simplifying provisions, including the right to leave property without going through probate—a legal process that can be both lengthy and expensive.

Even a Living Trust, a document to pass on property without going through probate, can cost $10,000 or more.

AARP Virgin Islands will be addressing the issue in workshops on caregivers, estate planning and financial health. To find out more, go to aarp.org/vi.