Common estate-planning methods for avoiding probate include the following:
Joint ownership of property: Because property passes directly to another owner, it doesn't have to go through probate.
Designation of intended beneficiaries directly on certain accounts: Life insurance, retirement, bank pay-on-death (POD) accounts, and investment transfer-on-death (TOD) accounts pass funds outside of probate.
Creation of a living trust: Because property contained in the trust gets distributed to the intended beneficiary, it avoids probate.