How To Probate An Estate In California

Table of Contents......Page 10
Introduction......Page 16
1 An Overview......Page 20
B. What Is Involved in Settling an Estate?......Page 21
D. What This Book Covers......Page 22
F. Important Terms Defined......Page 23
H. Death Taxes......Page 27
I. Do You Need an Attorney?......Page 28
2 First Steps in Settling an Estate......Page 30
A. Who Should Act as the Estate Representative?......Page 31
B. Responsibilities of the Estate Representative......Page 33
C. Specific Duties of the Estate Representative......Page 35
3 Who Are the Heirs and Beneficiaries?......Page 50
A. Where to Start......Page 51
B. How to Read a Will......Page 54
C. Compare Schedule of Assets (in Chapter 5) With Property Left in Will......Page 59
D. Who Inherits When the Will Is Ineffective?......Page 62
E. If There Is No Will......Page 65
F. The Concept of Right of Representation......Page 67
4 What Is the Decedent’s Estate?......Page 74
A. Real Property......Page 75
B. Personal Property......Page 82
D. How Was the Decedent’s Property Owned?......Page 83
E. How to Determine Whether Property Is Community or Separate......Page 87
F. Actions That Change the Character of Property......Page 88
G. Property That Is a Mixture of Community and Separate Property......Page 89
H. Examples of Property Ownership......Page 91
I. Property Acquired by Couples Before They Moved to California......Page 93
5 Preparing a Schedule of the Assets and Debts......Page 94
B. Value Each Asset (Column A)......Page 96
C. How to Determine Ownership of Property......Page 97
E. Determine Whether Property Is Probate or Non-Probate Asset (Column E)......Page 98
G. Checklist of Property to List on Schedule of Assets......Page 99
H. Schedule of Assets for a Sample Estate......Page 114
6 How to Identify the Best Transfer Procedure......Page 122
A. Non-Probate Assets......Page 123
B. Assets That May Be Subject to Formal Probate......Page 124
C. Examples of How Assets Are Transferred in Typical Estates......Page 126
D. Sample Estates......Page 127
7 What About Taxes?......Page 130
A. Decedent’s Final Income Tax......Page 131
B. Fiduciary Income Tax Returns......Page 133
D. Stepped-Up Tax Basis Rules for Inherited Property......Page 134
E. Federal Estate Tax Return......Page 135
H. Tax Issues for Some Typical Estates......Page 139
8 Transferring Title to Real Property......Page 142
B. Basic Information on Recording Documents......Page 143
C. Change in Ownership Statements......Page 144
D. How to Record Your Document Transferring Title......Page 150
E. Mortgages......Page 152
9 How to Transfer Securities......Page 154
A. Documents Required to Transfer Securities......Page 156
B. The Stock or Bond Power......Page 158
F. The Stock Transfer Tax......Page 160
10 Joint Tenancy Property......Page 164
B. How to Clear Title to Real Property in Joint Tenancy......Page 165
D. How to Clear Title to Motor Vehicles and Small Boats Held in Joint Tenancy......Page 168
G. How to Clear Title to U.S. Savings Bonds in Co-Ownership......Page 170
11 Transferring Small Estates Under $100,000......Page 172
A. Overview of the Simplified Transfer Procedure for Small Estates......Page 173
B. How to Determine Whether You Can Use Summary Procedures......Page 174
C. How to Transfer the Property......Page 175
12 How to Transfer Trust Property and Property Subject to Life Estates......Page 190
B. Trust Property......Page 191
D. How to Transfer Property Held in Living Trusts......Page 193
E. Life Tenancy (Life Estate)......Page 196
13 An Overview of the Probate Court Process......Page 198
C. Dealing With the Probate Court......Page 200
D. Beginning the Probate Process......Page 205
E. Taking Care of the Estate During Probate......Page 213
F. Closing the Estate......Page 218
14 Conducting a Simple Probate Court Proceeding......Page 220
Step 1: Prepare the Petition for Probate......Page 222
Step 3: Prepare the Notice of Petition to Administer Estate......Page 236
Step 4: File Your Petition for Probate......Page 243
Step 5: Complete the Proof of Subscribing Witness Form......Page 244
Step 8: Prepare Your Order for Probate......Page 250
Step 9: Study and Respond to the Calendar Notes......Page 251
Step 11: Prepare the Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative Form......Page 255
Step 13: Prepare Notice of Proposed Action, If Necessary......Page 260
Step 14: Prepare the Inventory and Appraisal Form......Page 269
Step 15: Notify Creditors and Deal With Creditor’s Claims and Other Debts......Page 278
Step 16: Prepare the Petition for Final Distribution......Page 286
Step 17: Prepare Notice of Hearing (Probate)......Page 310
Step 18: Prepare Order of Final Distribution......Page 311
Step 19: Transfer the Assets and Obtain Court Receipts......Page 314
Step 20: Request Discharge From Your Duties......Page 320
15 Handling Property That Passes Outright to the Surviving Spouse or Domestic Partner......Page 324
A. An Overview of These Simplified Procedures......Page 325
D. Survivorship Community Property......Page 327
E. The Spousal or Domestic Partner Property Petition......Page 333
F. How to Transfer the Assets to the Surviving Spouse or Partner......Page 351
16 If You Need Expert Help......Page 354
B. Using a Legal Document Assistant......Page 355
C. Using a Lawyer......Page 356
Glossary......Page 358
A: California Probate Code §§ 13100–13106......Page 366
B: Tear-Out Judicial Council Forms......Page 370
DE-111 Petition for Probate......Page 372
DE-120 Notice of Hearing......Page 376
DE-121 Notice of Petition to Administer Estate......Page 378
DE-131 Proof of Subscribing Witness......Page 380
DE-135 Proof of Holographic Instrument......Page 382
DE-140 Order for Probate......Page 384
DE-147S Confidential Supplement to Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative......Page 388
DE-150 Letters......Page 390
DE-157 Notice of Administration to Creditors......Page 392
DE-160 Inventory and Appraisal......Page 394
DE-161 Inventory and Appraisal Attachment......Page 396
DE-165 Notice of Proposed Action......Page 398
DE-174 Allowance or Rejection of Creditor’s Claim......Page 400
DE-221 Spousal or Domestic Partner Property Petition......Page 402
DE-226 Spousal or Domestic Partner Property Order......Page 404
DE-270 Ex Parte Petition for Authority to Sell Securities and Order......Page 406
DE-305 Affidavit re Real Property of Small Value ($20,000 or Less)......Page 408
DE-310 Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property (Estates of $100,000 or Less)......Page 410
DE-315 Order Determining Succession to Real Property......Page 412
C: Tear-Out Non-Judicial Council Forms......Page 414
DE-147 Duties and Liabilities of Personal Representative......Page 386
Declaration Regarding Property Passing to Decedent’s Surviving Spouse or Registered Domestic Partner Under Probate Code § 13500......Page 416
Who Inherits Under the Will?......Page 418
Schedule of Assets......Page 420
Affidavit—Death of Joint Tenant......Page 424
Notification by Trustee......Page 426
Affidavit—Death of Spouse......Page 428
Affidavit—Death of Domestic Partner......Page 430
Affidavit—Death of Spouse or Domestic Partner—Survivorship Community Property......Page 432
Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property Under California Probate Code §§ 13100–13106......Page 434
Deed to Real Property......Page 436
Probate Case Cover Sheet-Certificate of Grounds for Assignment to District (L.A. County)......Page 438
Application and Order Appointing Probate Referee (L.A. County)......Page 440
Change in Ownership Statement (Death of Real Property Owner) (L.A. County)......Page 442
Affidavit or Declaration for Final Discharge and Order (L.A. County)......Page 444
Index......Page 446
Related Products......Page 460