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Estate planning in Phoenix, AZ
Arizona's beneficiary deed lets you transfer real estate at death without probate — and most Phoenix families don't use it.
Why this matters in Phoenix
The local angle
Arizona is a community property state with no state estate or inheritance tax. The unique tool here is the Beneficiary Deed (also called Transfer-on-Death deed) which lets a homeowner name a beneficiary who automatically inherits the property at death, completely bypassing probate. For a $400K Phoenix home, that's tens of thousands in saved probate costs.
Local nuance
Maricopa County's probate workload is heavy — many Phoenix families don't realize their home will go through probate unless they execute a beneficiary deed or hold the property in a trust.
Top concerns for Phoenix families
- Beneficiary deed (TOD deed) for Phoenix real estate
- Community property characterization in second marriages
- Snowbird residency questions (multi-state)
- Probate avoidance for the snowbird family
Arizona state law
At a glance
Phoenix estate work is governed by Arizona state law. Here's what every family should know.
$1,500–$3,500 typical
Affidavit A.R.S. §14-3971
No inheritance tax
Spousal rights
Community property state — spouse owns 50% of community assets automatically
Common pitfalls
- Arizona has informal, formal, and supervised probate — most are informal
- Beneficiary deeds available in AZ for real estate (avoids probate)
- CP rules different from other CP states
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