If you need to wrap up the affairs of a deceased family member or friend in California, you can save big on attorney fees by handling many aspects of the probate process yourself. How to Probate an Estate in California is the only book that provides forms, tips, and step-by-step instructions for settling a loved one's estate—all written in plain English. You might even be able to handle the whole process without hiring a lawyer or setting foot in the courthouse. With this easy-to-follow guide, you'll learn how to: read a will determine who inherits property if there is no will handle probate paperwork collect life insurance and other benefits transfer community property to a surviving spouse or domestic partner pay bills and taxes, and distribute property left through trusts. Even if you hire a lawyer to do some of the paperwork, this book demystifies the process so that you can make informed decisions and communicate intelligently with the attorney about the estate—and save money in the process. Why pay a lawyer tens of thousands of dollars to probate an estate when you can do much of it on your own? This new edition includes important updates on California’s small estate procedures, California Proposition 19, and federal estate taxes, as well as fresh insights from an experienced probate attorney practicing in California.

Learn the system, minimize fees When you’ve lost a loved one, the inevitable legal matters can seem difficult and confusing. Learning about probate and taking on some of the bureaucratic tasks yourself can provide clarity, peace of mind, and reduced legal fees. How to Probate an Estate in California explains how to handle a simple estate and makes clear which tasks you may be able to manage without a lawyer. Find out how to: determine who inherits property collect life insurance and other death benefits use non-court transfer procedures complete and file court paperwork pay bills and file taxes, and transfer property to heirs and beneficiaries. Whether you plan to do most of the duties yourself or expect to work with an attorney, How to Probate an Estate in California will save you time and increase your confidence when wrapping up your loved one’s estate. With Downloadable Forms We’ll show you where to find all the forms you need online—either on this book’s unique web page or on court websites (details inside).

#1 Florida Probate Book SIMPLIFY SETTLING AN ESTATE Settling a loved one's estate - whether a will is present or not - is not difficult, but it is filled with legal technicalities you have to know. Probate and Settle an Estate in Florida clarifies all of these rules and takes you through the process in an easy-to-understand fashion. Let it help you put this trying time behind you . LEARN HOW TO: Navigate Through the Probate Process End Claims Made by Creditors Prioritize Your Responsibilities to the Estate Close an Estate with No Will READY-TO-GO FORMS with Step-by-Step Instructions ESSENTIAL DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO: Protect your family Distribute property Resolve tax-related matters Finalize outstanding issues And much more. "Their legal survival guides are dynamite and very readable." - Small Business Opportunities "Explaining the way the law works." - Daily Herald "Sphinx [legal guides] are staples of legal how-to collections." - Library Journal

Probate court proceedings after a death can drag out and cost tens of thousands of dollars in attorney and court fees-money that would otherwise have gone directly to your loved ones. This topselling guide shows you the most effective ways to skip the probate process: name payable-on-death beneficiaries for financial accounts, own property jointly, leave real estate with transfer-on-death deeds, use a living trust, name the right beneficiaries for IRAs, 401(k)s, and other retirement plans, and, use probate shortcuts for small estates. Completely updated, this edition includes the latest state laws on probate avoidance methods, and covers all the estate-related impacts of the recent changes to federal rules on retirement distributions. In Nolo.com's Wills, Trusts & Probate center you'll find even more help from the experts at Nolo: hundreds of valuable articles and FAQs, useful legal forms, And if you decide you'd like a lawyer's help, you can visit our other sites, Lawyers.com and Avvo.com, for free, in-depth profiles of lawyers in your area.

Losing a loved one is a sad and difficult time for family, relatives, and friends. In addition, those left behind must often figure out how to transfer or inherit property from the person who has died. This book contains the complete text of the 2014 California Probate Code, including all the forms referenced in the code, from simple wills to advanced health care directives.

A guide to the legal and financial aspects of wills, including probate, taxes, estate closing, and funeral considerations.