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Don't Let the Court Decide: Test Your Knowledge on Avoiding Probate

December 16, 2025 • 5 min read • views
Don't Let the Court Decide: Test Your Knowledge on Avoiding Probate
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Don't Let the Court Decide: Test Your Knowledge on Avoiding Probate

Test your basic understanding of why having a estate plan is crucial to avoiding probate in our quick quiz.

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Closeup image of judge gavel and word PROBATE (Image credit: Getty Images) Donna LeValley's avatar By Donna LeValley published 16 December 2025 in Features

This short, six-question quiz tests your basic understanding of why a comprehensive estate plan is crucial. We'll focus specifically on the key differences between asset transfers through court-supervised probate and through private estate planning tools like a revocable living trust.

Get started to see how well you understand the benefits of planning for the future and ensuring your final wishes are carried out efficiently and privately. And don't worry if you miss an answer; you can follow the links below the quiz to brush up on your knowledge.

More on Estate Planning, from the Kiplinger team:

  • The Basics of Estate Planning
  • Is Your Estate at Risk? The Five Trusts You May Be Missing
  • 15 Estate Planning Terms You Need to Know
  • Ten Common Estate Planning Mistakes
  • Probate: The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Side of Estate Planning
  • Revocable vs Irrevocable Trust: It Comes Down to Control vs Protection

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Sign up Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — freeContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Donna LeValleyDonna LeValleyRetirement Writer

Donna joined Kiplinger as a personal finance writer in 2023. She spent more than a decade as the contributing editor of J.K.Lasser's Your Income Tax Guide and edited state specific legal treatises at ALM Media. She has shared her expertise as a guest on Bloomberg, CNN, Fox, NPR, CNBC and many other media outlets around the nation. She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and the University at Buffalo. 

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