Probate Avoidance

Careful Estate Planning Can Help You Avoid Probate

Probate in California can last for several months or several years. It can be a time-consuming and expensive process that can be avoided with careful and skilled planning. An experienced estate planning lawyer can work with clients to preserve privacy and to avoid or minimize probate exposures and costs.

At the law office of Oswald & Yap, we provided experienced estate planning services to people throughout Orange County and all of Southern California. To contact our law office in Irvine, California, call 888.312.8923.

Probate in California

Under the California Probate Code, estates of $100,000 or less do not require probate. Moreover, there are certain assets that are not counted toward the $100,000 cap, including some retirement accounts, property in a living trust and most property that is owned in joint tenancy.

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of different estate planning tools is our strength. The members of our estate planning and tax practices group have the experience necessary to help clients with medium to large estates find creative solutions designed to avoid probate.

Reduce the Costs of Probate

In many cases, we have been able to help clients avoid probate entirely. In cases where a client’s preferences preclude the complete avoidance of probate, we have helped clients shrink the size of their estate to significantly reduce the costs of probate. California law sets maximum fees for attorneys practicing in probate. These fees are a percentage of the overall estate that is subject to probate. By helping clients reduce the portion of an estate that may be subject to probate, we can help clients significantly reduce the legal costs associated with probate if complete probate avoidance is not possible.

Contact Oswald & Yap

To speak with an attorney about estate planning tools that may help you avoid probate, contact us.