Wills are the most common way for people to state how their property and affairs should be distributed and handled after their deaths. A well-written will eases the transition for survivors by transferring property quickly and avoiding many tax burdens. Wills vary from extremely simple single-page documents to elaborate volumes, depending on the estate size and preferences of the person making the will. If a person dies without a valid will and did not make alternative arrangements to distribute property, a probate court must step in to divide up the estate using legal defaults that give property to surviving relatives.

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See also:

• Wills
• Estate Planning