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Probate

If a loved one has recently passed away, we are very sorry for your loss. The probate process in California may seem confusing and complex, but we are here to help you with the steps you need to take.

If your loved one created a living trust before his or her death, Click Here to view information on trust administration. You usually should not need to go through the probate process.

In other situations, after a person has passed away, probate may be required. We can determine if probate in California is required and help you with the California probate process.

Probate is the name of the court process by which a judge oversees the payment of creditors and the distribution of a deceased person's estate. Currently, in California, the probate process generally takes between 1-2 years.

The time involved in probating an estate in California is one of the reasons we encourage people to meet with an experienced California estate planning attorney early on, before their death or disability. At that time, documents can be prepared that will allow an estate to avoid probate and the court system upon death.

A common misconception is that having a will avoids the probate process. Having a will has no effect on whether a deceased person's estate will go through probate. However, if one does have a valid and properly executed will, this document will be admitted to probate and used by the court as a guide in the distribution of one's estate.

If you have a loved one who has passed away and you are not sure what needs to be done, we are here to help you and explain this process to you.

Probate can be very complicated and time consuming. There are many steps to take. The experienced attorneys and staff at The Law Office of John T. Anderson are here to help make this process as smooth and easy as possible.

For more information on California probate and a sample timeline of the probate process in California Click Here.

For a short video explanation of the probate process by Long Beach Probate Attorney John T. Anderson, Click Here.

As always, feel free to contact our office if you have any questions. We are here to help you.

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this website is intended to inform the reader, generally, of issues in California estate planning, trust, and probate law and is not to be the final resource, and should not be considered legal advice. The information is not intended to be all-inclusive. To obtain detailed information or advice regarding a specific legal problem, you should contact a qualified attorney in your geographic area and state. Although attorneys John T. Anderson, Lisa R. Norman, and John T. Anderson, Jr. (“Attorneys”) intend that this website be correct, complete, and up-to-date, they do not guarantee it to be. It is not intended to be a source of legal advice, thus the reader must seek out specific advice, from competent counsel. Attorneys do not intend links on this website to be referrals or endorsements of the linked entities. Sending e-mails to John@trustlaw.ws or other e-mail addresses associated with attorneys or staff at The Law Office of John T. Anderson does not create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services provided by Attorneys exceeds that provided by other lawyers. To the extent that this website is deemed an “advertisement,” Attorneys advertise only in California and do not seek to represent a person based solely on that person’s visit to this website. Attorneys are licensed to practice law only in California and are willing to appear in courts only in California. Attorneys maintain one office located in Long Beach, California.

The Law Office of John T. Anderson
1741 E. Wardlow Rd., Long Beach, California 90807