California sets probate fees by law, as a percentage of your estate's gross value, the value of what you own before subtracting the mortgage or any other debt. The attorney gets the statutory fee. The personal representative gets the same fee again. Most families discover the number only after it is too late to change it.
Enter your numbers below and see it now, while it still costs nothing to fix.
Probate Cost Calculator
Tip: a Zillow estimate of your home is close enough. Fees are calculated on gross value, so do not subtract your mortgage.
Before court filing fees, probate referee appraisal, bond premiums, and 12 to 18 months of process in Los Angeles County. Estates over $25,000,000 have the final tier set by the court. For the detailed version with court costs and timeline, use our full probate calculator.
How the fee is set
California Probate Code section 10810 fixes the fee schedule, and it applies to the attorney and the personal representative each:
- 4% of the first $100,000
- 3% of the next $100,000
- 2% of the next $800,000
- 1% of the next $9,000,000
- 0.5% of the next $15,000,000
That is why an "ordinary" Valley home puts a family well into five figures. The fee is not about how complicated the estate is. It is about what the estate is worth on paper.
The part worth repeating
These fees are the default, not the destiny. Assets held in a funded revocable living trust skip probate, and the statutory fee that goes with it, entirely. If the number above made you wince, that is the conversation to have. Read what a living trust really is, or compare the two paths side by side in our probate vs. living trust guide.
Talk it through with Maria
Pick a time on attorney Maria V. Primushko's live calendar. Bring your estimate from the calculator above, and she will tell you honestly what a plan would look like for your family, in English, Spanish, or Russian.
Schedule a Meeting with Maria (818) 788-7881This calculator provides estimates of statutory fees under California Probate Code section 10810 for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Actual costs vary with court fees, appraisals, bond, extraordinary fees, and the specifics of each estate. Attorney Advertising. Contact MVP Law Group for a consultation tailored to your situation.