How much do services cost?

Estate planning services vary depending on the complexity of your estate, but most services are provided on a flat fee basis. A basic estate plan for an individual starts at $3500. A basic plan includes:

  • preparation of the following documents:

    • Revocable Living Trust designed to avoid probate;

    • Pourover Will with guardian nominations for minor children;

    • Durable Power of Attorney;

    • Health Care Directive and HIPAA Authorization;

    • Property Assignment; and

    • One grant deed to transfer real property into the Trust (this includes payment of county recording fees). Additional deeds are $450 each.

  • funding assistance (assistance/guidance regarding the transfer of assets into the trust, including the recording of all deeds)

  • travel and notary services (I will travel to you to execute the documents and notary fees are included)

Trust vs Probate…

How much will probate cost if I don’t transfer my assets to a trust?

The cost of setting up an estate plan may seem high, but it is a small fraction of the cost of probate. In California, full probate is usually required for estates that have a gross value of $208,850, if those assets are not held in a trust. The fee is based on the estate’s gross value, not equity after debts. Thus, if the estate includes a house worth $1,000,000 subject to a mortgage, the statutory fee is still calculated on the $1,000,000 gross value, not the reduced equity.

California probate fees are calculated on a statutory formula that is applied on a tiered basis to the gross value of the probate estate. So for example, if your estate is comprised of a home with a fair market value of $1,000,000, the probate fees are $46,000 ($23,000 in attorney fees and $23,000 in fees to the personal representative). This fee does not include the costs for court filing fees, publication costs, probate referee/appraisal fees, certified copies, recording, mailing, and similar administrative costs, bond premiums or extraordinary attorney’s fees. In addition, your assets will be tied up during the lengthy probate process (usually one to two years) and unavailable to your heirs.