California Probate Fee Calculator

Calculate approximate attorney fees for probate in California with our fast, user-friendly probate fee calculator. The probate fee calculator can be useful if you want the rough amount for a property subject to probate by entering the gross value of an estate. This probate fee calculator is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal advice.

Statutory Probate Fee Calculator

Enter the estate value:

Using the Calculator

When you use our calculator, you'll see a spot that says "enter the estate value." This means all the items that would be distributed using the probate process if there wasn’t an estate plan in place. Enter the gross value of an estate into the probate fee calculator to estimate the fees.

Here's how to figure out that number:

  1. List Everything: Think about everything you own - the fair market value of your house, money in the bank, cars, jewelry, and other stuff.

  2. Leave Out Some Items: Some things don't need to go through probate. This includes anything owned in a trust.

  3. Add Up the Rest: The total of everything else is what you put in the calculator. This will help you see how much probate might cost.

Why avoid probate in California? What are the costs of letting your heirs go to probate?

Probate in California can be a costly and time-consuming process. In California, the statutory probate attorney fee and executor commission are based on the total value of the estate.

An Example Calculation

Let’s take an example of an estate worth $2,000,000:

  • 4% of the first $100,000 is $4,000.

  • 3% of the next $100,000 is $3,000.

  • 2% of the next $800,000 is $16,000.

  • 1% of the next $1,000,000 is $10,000.

In this example, the total fee would be $33,000 - but both the personal representative and attorney entitled to the same payment. Therefore, the total fee for the executor and probate attorney would be $66,000. That’s a huge chunk of the original value of the estate lost - likely because the person who passed didn’t have an updated estate plan in place.

The more things that have to go through probate, the more it costs in time and money. Planning ahead can save money and make sure more goes to the people you care about.

What Do We Do?

Make an appointment to meet with On Point Estate Law to create or update your estate plan. We provide estate planning services to clients throughout California, and we offer in-person, phone, and Zoom appointments. Just call (619) 273-3329 or book an appointment here.