This unique, seldom-used procedure could save you a lot of money.

One of the biggest concerns for many people who have just lost a loved one is the cost of probate, also known as the legal procedure through which a person’s assets are distributed either under the terms of a will or not. Probate can be a long and expensive process, which is why many people choose trusts and other probate-avoidance estate planning tools. But what happens when someone dies without a trust and you don’t know if you need to open a probate?