Niles, IL estates & probate attorney Dana Zivkovich shares how estate planning can minimize probate expenses. Probate refers to a division of the court where a judge oversees the administration of a deceased person’s estate. When an individual passes away, there may be a need to go through the court to manage the distribution of the estate. The costs of probate include filing fees, time spent before the judge, and the preparation of necessary petitions.

While it is possible to administer an estate outside of court, this requires having a proper plan in place. As a result, the additional fees associated with probate stem from the process of navigating the court system.