Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Ebony Howard is a certified public accountant and a QuickBooks ProAdvisor tax expert. She ...

Southern California estate planning and probate law firm continues helping families protect assets, avoid costly ...

As of this month, inheriting property just got a little easier in California—but only for a select few. Starting April 1, 2025, a new law significantly expanded the definition of so-called “small ...

Effective April 1, 2025, Assembly Bill 2016 (AB 2016) creates a new probate shortcut allowing primary residences in California, if certain conditions are met, to pass to the decedent’s ...

California’s Assembly Bill 2016 – which goes into effect April 1 – introduces significant positive changes to the probate process, particularly for primary residences. The law raises the value ...

Before shifting my practice from estate planning to estate litigation, I witnessed up close the challenges and frustrations associated with the California probate process. That has changed for many ...

Learn about probate court's role in managing estates, settling debts, and distributing assets. Explore the probate process ...

Probate can be a lengthy and complex process, leaving executors eager to find ways to expedite it. Familiarizing yourself with the legal procedures and documentation required to settle an estate ...

Does Probate Have a Time Limit? Yes, probate has a time limit but it varies by jurisdiction. Typically, the executor has a responsibility to begin the process shortly after the decedent's death. It's ...