I’ve heard that probate is expensive, time-consuming, and bureaucratic. True?

Probate used to be all that and more, but times have changed and so has the probate process in most states. Today it is seldom as costly and time-consuming as in the past. Most states have adopted alternatives to the probate procedures for families with no real property or with assets of, say, $50,000 or less. These simplified procedures save court fees, attorney’s fees, and executor’s fees.