Settle a California estate — without the statutory lawyer's bill
California is the most expensive state in the country to probate with an attorney. Lawyers here don't bill hourly for probate — they earn a fee set by statute, as a percentage of the whole estate. On a typical home-owning estate that's tens of thousands of dollars, before the estate is even settled.
- California probate attorneys earn a statutory fee (Probate Code §10810): about $13,000 on a $500k estate and $23,000 on a $1M estate.
- The executor is owed that same statutory amount again — so a lawyer-run $1M estate can carry roughly $46,000 in fees.
- An uncontested California probate does not require you to hire an attorney — the work is mostly administration.
- That administration is exactly what we do, for one flat fee paid from the estate.
Your numbers in California
You keep
$8,500
+ about 150 hours of your time
Calculated from California Probate Code §10810. Illustrative — actual fees vary by estate. We're not a law firm.
Three ways to settle it
Hire a probate attorney
Hands-off — but you pay full lawyer rates.
- A licensed attorney handles the legal filings
- Expensive — in California, statutory fees run $13k–$23k+; elsewhere $250–$400/hour
- Most of the bill is administration a lawyer doesn't need to do
- You're still the one chasing documents and signatures
Do it all yourself
Free — but it's 500+ hours, alone.
- No professional fees
- 500+ hours over a year — while you're grieving
- No map and no support; easy to miss a deadline or a step
- A mistake can cost far more than the money you saved
Kindred Estate
Done for you, for one flat fee.
- A real specialist does the administration — start to finish
- One flat fee, paid from the estate — not lawyer hourly rates
- You stay the executor and fully in control
- We coordinate an attorney only if a matter truly needs one
We're not a law firm and don't give legal advice. For an uncontested California estate we handle the administration; if a matter needs a lawyer, we tell you and coordinate one.
You don't have to carry this alone.
Tell us about the estate on a free, no-obligation call. We'll map out exactly what needs to happen — and how we'd take it off your plate.
The estate pays our fee — not you out of pocket.
Tell us about your situation
Has the person passed away?
Your relationship to them
When did the loss occur?
Your best guess is fine if you don't know the exact date.