How to Probate an Estate in California, 19th Edition

Table of Contents......Page 9
Your Probate Legal Companion......Page 17
1. An Overview......Page 19
What Is Involved in Settling an Estate?......Page 20
What This Book Covers......Page 21
Important Terms in Probate......Page 22
Insolvent Estates......Page 25
Do You Need an Attorney?......Page 26
2. First Steps in Settling an Estate......Page 29
Who Should Act as the Estate Representative?......Page 30
Responsibilities of the Estate Representative......Page 32
Specific Duties of the Estate Representative......Page 33
3. Who Are the Heirs and Beneficiaries?......Page 49
Where to Start......Page 50
How to Read a Will......Page 53
Compare Schedule of Assets With Property Left in Will......Page 58
Who Inherits When the Will Is Ineffective?......Page 61
If There Is No Will......Page 63
The Concept of Right of Representation......Page 64
4. What Is the Decedent’s Estate?......Page 71
Real Property......Page 72
Personal Property......Page 79
How Was the Decedent’s Property Owned?......Page 80
How to Determine Whether Property Is Community or Separate......Page 83
Actions That Change the Character of Property......Page 85
Property That Is a Mixture of Community and Separate Property......Page 86
Examples of Property Ownership......Page 87
Property Acquired by Couples Before They Moved to California......Page 89
5. Preparing a Schedule of the Assets and Debts......Page 91
Value Each Asset (Column A)......Page 93
How to Determine Ownership of Property (Columns B & C)......Page 94
Determine Whether Property Is Probate or Nonprobate Asset (Column E)......Page 95
Checklist of Property to List on Schedule of Assets......Page 96
Schedule of Assets for a Sample Estate......Page 111
6. How to Identify the Best Transfer Procedure......Page 119
Nonprobate Assets......Page 120
Assets That May Be Subject to Formal Probate......Page 121
Sample Estates......Page 123
7. What About Taxes?......Page 127
Decedent’s Final Income Tax Returns......Page 128
Fiduciary Income Tax Returns......Page 130
Stepped-Up Tax Basis Rules for Inherited Property......Page 131
Federal Estate Tax Return......Page 132
California Inheritance Tax......Page 135
Tax Issues for Some Typical Estates......Page 136
8. Transferring Title to Real Property......Page 139
Basic Information on Recording Documents......Page 140
Change in Ownership Statements......Page 141
How to Record Your Document Transferring Title......Page 144
Mortgages......Page 149
9. How to Transfer Securities......Page 151
Documents Required to Transfer Securities......Page 153
The Stock or Bond Power......Page 155
The Stock Transfer Tax......Page 157
10. Joint Tenancy Property......Page 161
How to Clear Title to Real Property in Joint Tenancy......Page 162
How to Clear Title to Motor Vehicles and Small Boats Held in Joint Tenancy......Page 165
How to Clear Title to U.S. Savings Bonds in Co-Ownership......Page 167
11. Transferring Small Estates Under $100,000......Page 169
Overview of the Simplified Transfer Procedure for Small Estates......Page 170
How to Determine Whether You Can Use Summary Procedures......Page 171
How to Transfer the Property......Page 172
12. How to Transfer Trust Property and Property Subject to Life Estates......Page 187
Trust Property......Page 188
How to Transfer Property Held in Living Trusts......Page 190
Life Tenancy (Life Estate)......Page 193
13. An Overview of the Probate Court Process......Page 195
Dealing With the Probate Court......Page 197
Beginning the Probate Process......Page 203
Taking Care of the Estate During Probate......Page 210
Closing the Estate......Page 215
14. Conducting a Simple Probate Court Proceeding......Page 219
Step 1: Prepare the Petition for Probate......Page 221
Step 3: Prepare the Notice of Petition to Administer Estate......Page 236
Step 4: File Your Petition for Probate......Page 242
Step 5: Complete the Proof of Subscribing Witness Form......Page 244
Step 7: Notify Government Agencies......Page 249
Step 9: Study and Respond to the Calendar Notes......Page 250
Step 11: Prepare the Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative Form......Page 254
Step 13: Prepare Notice of Proposed Action, If Necessary......Page 259
Step 14: Prepare the Inventory and Appraisal Form......Page 268
Step 15: Notify Creditors and Deal With Creditors’ Claims and Other Debts......Page 274
Step 16: Prepare the Petition for Final Distribution......Page 282
Step 17: Prepare Notice of Hearing (Probate)......Page 308
Step 18: Prepare Order of Final Distribution......Page 309
Step 19: Transfer the Assets and Obtain Court Receipts......Page 312
Step 20: Request Discharge From Your Duties......Page 318
15. Handling Property That Passes Outright to the Surviving Spouse or Domestic Partner......Page 321
An Overview of These Simplified Procedures......Page 322
Collecting Compensation Owed the Decedent......Page 323
Affidavit for Transferring Community Real Property......Page 324
Survivorship Community Property......Page 328
The Spousal or Domestic Partner Property Petition......Page 330
How to Transfer the Assets to the Surviving Spouse or Partner......Page 348
16. If You Need Expert Help......Page 351
Using a Legal Document Assistant......Page 352
Using a Lawyer......Page 353
Glossary......Page 355
Appendixes......Page 0
A. California Probate Code §§ 13100–13106......Page 363
B. Judicial Council Forms......Page 367
DE-111 Petition for Probate......Page 369
DE-120 Notice of Hearing......Page 373
DE-121 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate......Page 375
DE-121(MA) Attachment to Notice of Petition to Administer Estate......Page 377
DE-131 Proof of Subscribing Witness......Page 379
DE-135 Proof of Holographic Instrument......Page 381
DE-140 Order for Probate......Page 383
DE-147 Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative......Page 385
DE-147S Confidential Supplement to Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative......Page 387
DE-150 Letters......Page 389
DE-157 Notice of Administration to Creditors......Page 391
DE-160 Inventory and Appraisal......Page 393
DE-161 Inventory and Appraisal Attachment......Page 395
DE-165 Notice of Proposed Action......Page 397
DE-174 Allowance or Rejection of Creditor’s Claim......Page 399
DE-221 Spousal or Domestic Partner Property Petition......Page 401
DE-226 Spousal or Domestic Partner Property Order......Page 403
DE-270 Ex Parte Petition for Authority to Sell Securities and Order......Page 405
DE-295 Ex Parte Petition for Final Discharge and Order......Page 407
DE-305 Affidavit re Real Property of Small Value ($20,000 or Less)......Page 409
DE-310 Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property (Estates of $100,000 or Less)......Page 411
DE-315 Order Determining Succession to Real Property (Estates of $100,000 or Less)......Page 413
C. Non-Judicial Council Forms......Page 415
Declaration Regarding Property Passing to Decedent’s Surviving Spouse or Registered Domestic Partner Under Probate Code § 13500......Page 417
Who Inherits Under the Will?......Page 419
Schedule of Assets......Page 421
Notification by Trustee......Page 425
Affidavit—Death of Joint Tenant......Page 427
Affidavit—Death of Trustee......Page 429
Affidavit—Death of Spouse......Page 431
Affidavit—Death of Domestic Partner......Page 433
Affidavit—Death of Spouse or Domestic Partner—Survivorship Community Property......Page 435
Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property Under California Probate Code §§ 13100–13106......Page 437
Deed to Real Property......Page 439
Probate Case Cover Sheet—Certificate of Grounds for Assignment to District (L.A. County)......Page 441
Application and Order Appointing Probate Referee (L.A. County)......Page 443
Change in Ownership Statement (Death of Real Property Owner) (L.A. County)......Page 445
Preliminary Change of Ownership Report......Page 447
Index......Page 449