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The Hatfield-McCoy feud is a part of American folklore that we all would like to keep firmly in the category of history. Unlike Shakespeare's feud between the respective families of Romeo and Juliet, this feud was very much not a work of fiction. So much so, that it has become an effective metaphor for bitterly feuding families. If you've ever known families that have had the misfortune to contest a will in probate court, you may have seen a modern-day version of the famous 19th century feud. In most states, a living trust allows you to keep your property out of probate court, while granting a little more peace to the people you leave behind.
Estate planning is the process of organizing your financial and personal interests so that your wishes are met with a minimum of inconvenience and expense to your family. Creating a living trust is, in a way, creating a separate entity. Once you create this entity, it, not you, becomes the owner of every piece of property you transfer into it. Property owned by the trust, in most states, will avoid probate. Probate is an expensive, time consuming court procedure which executes a will. It can last up to three years and cost up to 10% of your estate.
For more information about living trusts, check out LegalZoom's free, online legal library. If a West Virginia living trust sounds right for your estate planning needs, form one today by filling out our easy-to-follow online questionnaire. Let LegalZoom give you the confidence that comes with a future well planned.
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