Losing a loved one is hard enough—figuring out what happens to their home or investment property shouldn’t add confusion. Probate is the court-supervised process that validates a will (if there is one), settles debts and taxes, and transfers assets to heirs....

When a loved one passes away, one of the first practical questions families face is how real estate will transfer to heirs. The answer typically falls into three paths: probate, trust-based transfer, or direct deed/beneficiary mechanisms. Each path has...

Key takeaways Selling an inherited home can trigger capital gains taxes, but if you sell quickly at around the date-of-death value, you may owe little to nothing. Living in the home for at least two of the five years before selling can unlock the home sale exclusion...