What Probate Actually Costs (and Why Having a Trust Doesn’t Always Prevent It)

On a $500,000 California estate with no living trust, statutory probate fees alone run about $29,735, roughly 6% of the estate’s value, calculated under a set schedule in the California Probate Code. That’s before court costs, appraisal fees, and the average 9 to 18 months it takes to close. That number gets people’s attention. It’s […]