When you file for divorce, do you have to worry that your family’s financial records and “dirty laundry” will be aired in public? This is a common concern among spouses contemplating divorce, and one that is worthy of consideration when preparing to go through the divorce process.

When preparing an estate plan, there are two broad categories of options for distributing a person’s assets after death: probate and non-probate transfers. Probate is the process of administering a person’s will; and, due to the time, costs and complexities involved in probate, many people choose to structure their estate plans predominantly using non-probate transfer methods.