There is a lot of paperwork involved in transferring property and it needs to be done correctly.

Ownership of property must be traced from one owner to another. However, when someone passes away, things change. There is now property that needs to change ownership. That creates the need for a lot of paperwork that needs to be done at once, according to U.S. News & World Report in "How to Deal With the Paperwork Scramble After a Spouse Dies."

It is easy to get overwhelmed and make costly mistakes when there is that much paperwork to fill out and file in such a short period of time. Those mistakes require even more paperwork and time to fix. People who are grieving and who do not know all the things that need to be done, make these mistakes all the time.

An estate planning attorney can advise you on creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and may include a transfer of property BEFORE you pass away (without giving up control!) so there is less work to be done AFTER you pass away.

Reference: U.S. News & World Report (June 19, 2018) "How to Deal With the Paperwork Scramble After a Spouse Dies."