The short answer is by planning in advance. Many people have the impression that if they have a will, they can avoid the probate process. This is not true. Having a will is a good thing. A will allows you to have a say in what you want to happen to your assets upon your death and who you want to act as your personal representative or your trustee. It also allows you to deal with a lot of contingencies and establish trusts to hold any assets going to minors or disabled people. However, a will tells your loved ones what needs to be done during the probate process; it does not help avoid the process altogether.