Category Archives: Probate

Probate Expenses Can Vary Significantly One of the most common questions families ask after a loved one dies is how much probate will cost. The answer depends on several factors, including the size of the estate, the assets involved, whether … Continue reading →

What Is a Heggstad Petition? A Heggstad petition is a California court procedure that may allow property to be confirmed as trust property even if it was never formally transferred into the trust during life. Hopefully avoiding an expensive formal … Continue reading →

Dying Without a Will When a person dies without a valid will, California law determines who inherits the estate. This is known as intestate succession. Rather than following the decedent’s wishes, assets pass according to California’s statutory inheritance rules. For … Continue reading →

Understanding Which Assets Pass Outside Probate Not every asset owned at death must pass through probate. Certain assets transfer automatically by operation of law, beneficiary designation, or trust ownership. Understanding which assets avoid probate is an important part of estate … Continue reading →

Probate Can Be More Expensive Than Many Families Realize One of the most common questions families ask after the death of a loved one is how much probate will cost. For families in San Jose and throughout Santa Clara County, … Continue reading →

Understanding the Probate Process When a loved one dies, one of the first questions family members often ask is whether probate will be required. Probate is the court-supervised process used to administer a deceased person’s estate, pay debts and expenses, … Continue reading →