What is the cost of probate in California? This is a question with no straightforward answer, since the cost of probate will vary based on the size and complexity of the estate in question.
It’s possible a California probate fees calculator can provide you with a rough estimate of the California probate fees that’ll have to be paid for estate administration, but it is ideal to consult with a probate lawyer if you are seeking an accurate estimate. This is because there are many factors that can contribute to the cost of probate in California, and typically, only legal professionals who are knowledgeable about the probate process will know what to expect.
This article on California probate fees will be especially important for present and future executors and administrators of the estate to read, as they are responsible for paying all probate-related expenses before they make distributions to estate beneficiaries and close out probate.
Unless most of a decedent’s assets are held by their trust or the decedent’s estate is small, probate generally will be needed. Keep reading to learn about what probate is and the types of estates that require it.
What Is Probate?
In simplest terms, probate is the court-supervised process through which a decedent’s estate may need to pass after they die. At the start of probate, the court authenticates the decedent’s will (if one exists) and appoints a personal representative (i.e., an executor or administrator) to preside over their estate.
Once a personal representative is formally appointed, they can begin paying the decedent’s creditors and distributing their assets to beneficiaries according to the instructions in the decedent’s will. Probate can take anywhere from 12 months to several years; its length generally depends on the size and complexity of the estate.
As for when a will has to be probated by, the named executor generally has 30 days from the date of the decedent’s death or after learning they were nominated to act as executor to file a probate petition. If they fail to file by this deadline, they may be regarded as having waived their right to serve.
If someone dies without a will, it doesn’t necessarily relieve their estate from having to pass through probate. However, the court will appoint an administrator instead of an executor, and the decedent’s assets will be distributed to their direct heirs in accordance with the state’s intestate succession laws, which can be found in California Probate Code sections 6400 – 6455.
If you’re curious how to become administrator, know that the process is almost identical to the process for becoming executor. The main difference is that the administrator is appointed according to the order of priority set forth by Probate Code section 8461. If the decedent died with a surviving spouse, they generally will be prioritized to serve.
Do You Have to Pay for Probate?
The short answer is no. There are ways to not only avoid paying California probate fees, but to bypass the probate process altogether.
For example, if a decedent died after April 2022, and their estate is valued at less than the California probate minimum of $184,500, their heirs may be able to use a simplified procedure known as a small estate affidavit to transfer the decedent’s property. Another simplified procedure that can be used, but only by surviving spouses and registered domestic partners, is a spousal property petition. While this procedure does not avoid probate altogether, it can expedite the process of transferring estate assets to the surviving spouse of a decedent.
Opting for a trust instead of a will is another method people use to avoid probate. If a decedent’s assets are held in trust, a formal probate generally will not be required, as most trusts can be administered privately by a trustee without court supervision.
Lastly, certain transfer-on-death assets — such as bank accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance policies and perhaps even cars and homes — may also be able to avoid probate if the decedent designated beneficiaries to whom the assets should pass.
If you plan to co-own property, it is recommended you consider the advantages and disadvantages of California’s title-vesting options to find one that suits your needs, as certain ways of holding title can prevent property from having to pass through probate when a co-owner dies.
How Much Are California Probate Fees?
What is the cost of probate in California? There is little ambiguity when it comes to the California probate fee structure. Indeed, California Probate Code section 10800 lays out a set structure for calculating the personal representative’s statutory (or “ordinary”) compensation, and lays out an identical structure for calculating the ordinary compensation of the personal representative’s legal counsel.
The cost of probate in California generally has several components to it. Some of the more common costs include compensation for the personal representative and their attorney, extraordinary fees and appraisal fees.
California Probate Fees for the Personal Representative and Attorney of the Personal Representative
Personal representatives and their attorneys are restricted by the law when it comes to how much they can charge the estate for “ordinary” services. Ordinary services refer to the services normally provided during the course of administration. The amount of their compensation for ordinary services is determined by the value of the estate, which is calculated through a professional appraisal of its assets.
The personal representative and their attorney are generally entitled to the same compensation, so if the personal representative earns $10,000, it is likely that is how much their attorney will earn for ordinary services as well.
Here is a breakdown of California probate fees for ordinary services provided by personal representatives and their attorneys:
Estate Value | Compensation |
First $100,000 | 4% |
Next $100,000 | 3% |
Next $800,000 | 2% |
Next $9 million | 1% |
Next $15 million | 0.5% |
Next $25 million+ | Reasonable amount to be determined by the court |
It is important to keep in mind that California probate fees for personal representatives and their attorneys are cumulative. This means that if an estate is worth $2 million, the personal representative and their attorney will each earn 4% of $100,000 (or $4,000), 3% of the next $100,000 (or $3,000), 2% of the next $800,000 (or $16,000), and 1% of the next $9 million (or $10,000).
While it’s possible a personal representative could waive their own fees, the fees for the attorney of the personal representative will still need to be paid. Since attorney fees for ordinary services in probate are determined by the law and not by the attorneys themselves, it is recommended that the personal representative retain a premier law firm that practices exclusively in probate, since the fees for ordinary services will be the same across the board.
While a probate fees calculator and the chart above may be helpful in calculating the approximate cost of probate in California, they don’t take into account the “extraordinary fees” that could arise during administration or the costs of probate payable to others.
Extraordinary Fees for Probate in California
In California probate, extraordinary fees may be charged by the personal representative or their attorney if the services they provide the estate go beyond typical executor duties or probate attorney duties.
California Rule of Court 7.703 details the types of services that would be considered “extraordinary” under the law.
For personal representatives, extraordinary services include:
- Selling, leasing, exchanging, financing, or foreclosing real or personal property;
- Carrying on decedent’s business if necessary to preserve the estate or under court order;
- Preparing tax returns; and
- Handling audits or litigation connected with tax liabilities of the decedent or of the estate.
For attorneys of personal representatives, extraordinary services include:
- Legal services in connection with the sale of property held in the estate;
- Services to secure a loan to pay estate debts;
- Litigation undertaken to benefit the estate or to protect its interests;
- Defense of the personal representative’s account;
- Defense of a will contested after its admission to probate;
- Successful defense of a will contested before its admission to probate;
- Successful defense of a personal representative in a removal proceeding;
- Extraordinary efforts to locate estate assets;
- Litigation in support of an attorney’s request for extraordinary compensation, where prior compensation awards are not adequate compensation under all the circumstances;
- Coordination of ancillary administration; and
- Accounting for a deceased, incapacitated, or absconded personal representative under Probate Code section 10953.
If a personal representative or an attorney of a personal representative is requesting fees for extraordinary services from the estate (in addition to the statutory fees detailed in the chart from the previous section), then their request will need to be submitted with substantiation documents (e.g., time records) for approval by the court.
Extraordinary fees are generally based on the following:
- The value of the estate;
- The difficulty of the extraordinary tasks performed and time spent;
- The results achieved; and
- Whether the results benefited the estate.
A probate attorney can help you determine whether an estate will require extraordinary services and what the cost of those services might be.
California Probate Fees for Appraisal of Estate
If an estate is being probated, it is likely a probate referee will be needed to appraise the estate’s non-monetary assets to determine the overall value of the estate.
Assets that generally need to be appraised by a probate referee include:
- Stocks and bonds
- Real estate
- Automobiles
- Property owned by the decedent’s business
- Furniture
- Valuable items
Probate referees are appointed by the California State Controller’s Office and are generally attorneys, CPAs or people who have several years of experience carrying out property valuations and appraisals.
According to California law, probate referees are entitled to compensation that amounts to 0.1% of the assets they appraised. Probate referees must be paid a minimum of $75, but are generally capped at earning $10,000 absent court approval for a greater amount.
Small estate affidavits and spousal property petitions, which were discussed in an earlier section, may not require the services of a probate referee. Probate referees also may not be needed for estates that are composed mostly of cash or cash-equivalent assets. The decision of whether or not a probate referee is required is usually left up to the court.
Basic California Probate Filing Fees
How much are probate fees in California? The good news is that the court has no discretion over probate filing fees in California, and they are minimal compared to the other fees an estate passing through probate is required to pay.
If you are the personal representative of an estate, you will generally be responsible for filing at least two petitions over the course of probate. They are:
The Petition for Probate is what launches the probate process. Once this petition is filed, the court will set a date for the initial probate proceeding during which a personal representative is appointed to administer the estate and the decedent’s will (if one existed) is authenticated by the court.
The Petition for Final Distribution is filed at the conclusion of the probate process after the personal representative has settled all of the decedent’s debts and is requesting permission from the court to make final distributions to estate beneficiaries and/or heirs.
The California filing fees for these petitions are posted on the California Courts website.
FAQs on California Probate Fees
The complex California probate fee structure can be difficult to navigate without the help of a skilled attorney. The following are the most frequently asked questions our California estate lawyers receive in regard to the cost of probate.
Is there a California probate fees minimum?
Yes. For an estate to require a formal probate, it should generally be worth more than $184,500, which is the minimum value required as of April 1, 2022.
What is the California probate tax rate?
California does not impose a separate estate tax on inherited assets. However, estates in California are still subject to federal estate tax if the size of the estate is sufficiently large. California estates, likewise, are liable for income taxes to the extent the estate assets earned income after the decedent’s death. In order to determine whether estate or income taxes are owed and the applicable tax rate, it is important to speak with a qualified probate attorney.
While the personal representative is generally not held personally liable for the decedent’s unpaid taxes, they could become liable if they distribute the decedent’s assets to beneficiaries before paying all of the decedent’s taxes.
Do I have to pay a lawyer to assist with probate?
Due to the complex nature of the probate process, it is highly recommended that you hire qualified probate counsel to assist you with probate. Many seasoned executors and administrators struggle to complete their administrative duties without help from an attorney, and if you have never acted as an executor or administrator of an estate before, it is certainly a worthwhile investment to have an experienced probate attorney by your side.
During administration, there is little room for mistakes, as personal representatives can be held personally liable for the financial harm they cause estates. This is why it is always best to err on the side of caution and work with an attorney.
Who pays probate attorney fees if a law firm is hired to assist with the probate process?
In general, attorney’s fees for services rendered to an executor or administrator of an estate are paid from the estate. Before attorneys can be paid from estate assets, however, court approval for the fees will need to be obtained.
Considering that an estate can most likely cover the cost of professionals whose services benefit the estate, there is little reason to not involve knowledgeable professionals in the probate process.
Still have questions about how much probate costs in California? Our attorneys are eager to help.
Do you have to pay for probate? If so, what are California’s probate administration fees? What are extraordinary fees for probate in California? What are California probate filing fees? What are statutory fees for probate in California?
These are all important questions to ask if you are the executor or administrator of a decedent’s estate and wish to seamlessly navigate the California probate fee structure. Our attorneys work with estates day in and day out, so they possess the expertise to help. Call us today to request a free consultation.
