Answers
The questions families actually ask, answered plainly, with the statutes and the numbers.
Do I need a living trust in California?
A will does not avoid probate in California. A funded living trust does. Here is how to tell which one your family needs.
How long does probate take in California, and what does it cost?
California probate typically runs 9 to 18 months and attorney fees are set by statute on the gross estate. Here are the real timelines and the actual numbers.
You have been named successor trustee. What do you do first?
California gives a successor trustee duties and a 60 day notice deadline under Probate Code section 16061.7. Here is the order to do things in.
The county sold my property. Is there money left over that belongs to me?
If your property sold at a tax or foreclosure sale for more than was owed, the surplus may still belong to you. California gives you one year to claim it.
These pages are general legal information about California law, not legal advice. Portia M. Wood is admitted in California and Maryland.