California (CA) · Fees
California probate fees and costs
Probate in California has a handful of cost categories: court filing fees, attorney fees, executor compensation, bond premiums (when required), and miscellaneous costs like appraisals and publication. Specific dollar figures vary and are revised over time.
What you're paying for
Court filing fees for the petition and probate hearings.
Personal representative compensation (statutory in California, calculated as a sliding-scale percentage of the estate value).
Attorney fees (also statutory and tied to estate value, with extraordinary fees for unusual work).
Probate referee fees for non-cash asset appraisals.
Bond premium when required.
Publication and miscellaneous administration costs.
Why California feels expensive
California's statutory fee schedule for both attorneys and personal representatives is calculated on the gross value of the estate, not the net. A house with substantial equity drives those fees regardless of whether there's any cash to pay them with.
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