do whatever you want, my passion is real estate, often times the best ways to get good deals on stuff is when there is a passing of the owner. This is why I am familiar with the trust structure. If you have substantial assets your crazy not to listen to what I am saying. If you or your parents don't have much, well there isn't much to worry about right? I get to see the complications not having estate planning causes and in particular what could have been done to get around it. I also have friends that do this stuff for a living. its your money again do what you want. Assets don't always pass cleanly to the right people. put a fair chunk of money in front of several people and watch what happens. Their spouses, who are only related by marriage for example. They start licking their chops at the potential of having money. its not just the direct heir you deal with. you deal with their spouses yelling crap in their ears, money money money!!! I explained to VG in another thread the problems they could have encountered and how it took honest cooperation by the family to pull it off. in utah we have informal and formal probate. what you are talking about is an unformal probate. That means the judge just signs off. I think the max is 100k in assets. above that you need a hearing before the judge.