Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Why a California Probate Estate May Remain Open Longer Than Expected
If you are waiting for a California probate case to close, you might find that the process isn’t as quick as you’d hoped. Many people expect a fast conclusion, but real-world challenges can lead to delays. The personal representative may still need to sell property, manage taxes, settle debts, address lawsuits, or find missing… Read More »
California Probate Inventory and Appraisal: What Executors Should Know
When someone dies, settling an estate involves more than locating a will and paying bills. In a California probate case, the personal representative must identify the property belonging to the estate and report its value. This is done through an Inventory and Appraisal, an important filing that gives the court and interested parties a… Read More »
Can You Contest a Will Changed Shortly Before Someone’s Death?
When a will is changed just days, weeks, or even months before a person dies, it can raise many questions. Why was the will suddenly changed? Did the person fully understand what they were signing? Was there someone pressuring them during a vulnerable moment? These concerns are quite common, especially when a new will… Read More »
Can California Probate Be Avoided if the Decedent Owned Property Jointly?
When a loved one dies, families often wonder what will happen to the property they owned together with someone else. In California, jointly owned property may go directly to someone else without the need to be probated. However, this is not true for every type of joint ownership. The way the property is legally… Read More »
Understanding How Probate Affects Jointly Owned Property in California
Many believe that when two people are listed on a property, the surviving owner automatically inherits everything after the other one passes away. However, in California, this is not necessarily true. What happens depends on how the property was titled before death. Indeed, some jointly owned properties can bypass probate, but others must be… Read More »
Practical Challenges of Serving as an Out-Of-State Executor in California Probate
Being named the executor of a loved one’s estate carries a lot of responsibility. And sometimes, the person chosen for this role lives in another state. That’s usually allowed under California probate law, but distance can create practical challenges that make estate administration more complicated. It is crucial to understand these challenges before probate… Read More »
When Probate Can’t Wait: Understanding Special Administration in California
Probate in California follows a fairly set timeline. Someone files a petition, the court sets a hearing a few weeks later, and then appoints a personal representative to handle the estate. But sometimes, things can’t wait. For example, the house may be on the verge of foreclosure, or there may be a risk that… Read More »
Probate and Charitable Gifts: How Donations Are Handled During Estate Administration in California
Many Californians choose to leave part of their estate to charitable organizations. These gifts can support religious institutions, educational programs, medical research, animal welfare groups, and other causes that were important to the person during their lifetime. If you are a family member, a beneficiary, or dealing with someone’s estate, it’s really important to… Read More »
Can Probate in California Continue if a Beneficiary Cannot Be Found?
Probate tends to move slowly enough on its own. Add in a missing beneficiary, and things can get even trickier. Sometimes a person moves without telling anyone, drifts away from the family, or just disappears. When that happens, a lot of people wonder: Does the whole process have to stop? Not necessarily. California’s probate… Read More »
Differentiating Between Probate Administration and Trust Administration in California
Losing a loved one is hard, and handling their estate can make an already stressful time even more challenging. One of the first questions families often ask is whether the estate must go through probate administration or trust administration. The answer largely depends on how the deceased held their assets and whether they established… Read More »
