After someone you love has passed away, it is a stressful time. Dealing with your grief and settling their affairs take time and effort, and drains you emotionally. If you are named as an executor, this stress increases exponentially, especially since many executors have no experience with the legal system or the probate courts. Knowing the key probate steps that you need to take can help you settle your loved one’s estate more simply and quickly. The following California probate checklist can help you determine the basic steps you need to take in order, whether on your own or with the help of an experienced California probate lawyer.  Of course, this California probate checklist is by no means comprehensive. Every [...]

  When someone in California passes away with no estate plan or with an estate plan based on a will, their possessions must be processed through probate courts before those people named in the will (or the people named in the Probate Code, if there is no will) take ownership of the property left. This process can be confusing for many people, and not understanding how probate court works can result in problems that may lead to an unexpected outcome for your loved ones. There are five basic things you should know about the California Probate Code before you finish estate planning. California Probate Code Probate usually takes four months to a year in California. Probate isn’t necessarily a short [...]