An estate is all the rights, titles, or interests that a person (living or deceased) has in any property.
Estate transfer is the act of conveying title to property interests from one person to another. Selecting proper estate transfer alternatives is the key to efficient and effective estate planning.
At death, transfers occur either through probate—i.e., by will provision or according to state law—or outside probate through “will substitutes,” such as trusts, contracts, or the way title is held.
-College for Financial Planning
Estate planning should decrease the amount of property transferred by will upon death. The service of a trust and estate attorney may be necessary.