Most estate planning attorneys can help you craft an estate plan that minimizes or avoids probate altogether. Probate proceedings are part of the public record and can be very time-consuming and expensive. However, in nearly every case, to some extent probate is necessary. So, it’s important to understand how to navigate the process.

If your spouse dies, you may have to decide whether or when to sell your house. There are some tax considerations that go into that decision.

The biggest concern when selling property is capital gains taxes. A capital gain is the difference between the "basis" in property and its selling price. The basis is usually the purchase price of property. So, if you purchased a house for $250,000 and sold it for $450,000 you would have $200,000 of gain ($450,000 - $250,000 = $200,000).