If you live in Modoc County and are facing having to file probate, you may not be aware that you can file probate in Modoc County without hiring an attorney! Yes, it’s true. Most large estates can be probated without an attorney. Attorneys charge expensive statutory fees to probate estates. The statutory fees are based on the gross value of the estate and the estate’s liabilities are not considered in offsetting the value. With the high cost of real estate in California, attorneys are making thousands of dollars to probate estates despite performing any additional work. Unfortunately, attorneys will scare people and often not inform them of lower-cost options to file probate. A People’s Choice has helped thousands of people file probate in California. People that use our self-help probate service avoid paying those expensive statutory attorney fees, saving the estate thousands of dollars. Be sure to check out our exciting new website ProbatebyME.com which is completely dedicated to probate and estate administration matters in California.
Probate involves a multitude of steps that cover a 9-12 month period of time. The purpose of probate is to provide a court supervised process for administering the contents of a deceased person’s estate. This includes paying the decedent’s taxes and staxes and then distributing any remaining assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries and heirs.
We Help to File Probate in Modoc County!
Important Money Saving Tip!
The average house value in Modoc County is $170,000, with land listings and ranches valued up to $277,740. Probate attorneys charge statutory fees based on the gross value of the estate, starting at 4%, on a tiered scale. For example, attorneys fees for a $160,000 house would be $5,800. A $250,000 ranch filed in Modoc County would be $8,000! By using the flat fee services of an experienced probate legal document assistant, the estate can save thousands of dollars.
Where to File Probate in Modoc County
The Modoc County Probate Court is located at the following location:
205 South East Street
Alturas, CA 96101
The court hears matters involving probate, conservatorship, and guardianship. The court recently reduced its hours of operation effective January 1, 2018, but, be that as it may, the court is still open daily Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Consequently, the court currently has a backlog of cases due to budget cuts and staff reductions. Though most probate proceedings are resolved in less than one year, it may take additional time for your matter to be heard in this court.
Modoc County Probate Rules
It is essential to educate yourself about the probate process in Modoc County. In this regard, we highly encourage you to review the Chapter 14 of the local court rules before you begin the probate process. The local rules will provide you some practical insight about the Modoc County probate procedures. Reading Probate rules can be a bit overwhelming for the average layperson. Don’t worry; however, because at A People’s Choice, we also provide case management assistance. We can help guide you through each step of the probate process and keep you in line with the rules and different forms you need to sign with the court.
Adjudicated Newspapers for Modoc County
The Modoc County Record is the commonly used newspaper for the required publication in Modoc County probate matters. The newspaper publishes every week in Alturas, Modoc County, California. The deadline to submit legal publications is Tuesday at 5:00 pm and can be emailed to legals@modocrecord.com.
Modoc County Probate Examiner
Many small counties do not have probate examiners to review probate documents. As a result, deficiencies in probate documents almost always result in the continuation of the hearing for supplements and corrections. For this reason, it is essential if you are filing probate in Modoc County that you hire an experienced legal document assistant to make sure your paperwork is proper and complete.
Modoc County Probate Referee
Being one of the smaller counties in California. Modoc County has only one probate referee who conducts evaluations of probate assets. The probate referee currently is:
Michael L. Retzloff
4709 Patricia Drive
Eureka, CA 95503-6422
Phone: (707) 444-3015
FAX: (707) 444-3602
e-mail: probate@suddenlinkmail.com
The probate referee has an important role in large and small estates that people file in the Modoc County probate court. It is the referee’s job to value all non-cash assets of the decedent as of the date of death. A People’s Choice prepares this important form and will make sure the probate referee completes this task on time. Once completed, a formal inventory is filed with the court that identifies the assets and the values set by the probate referee.
How to File Probate in Modoc County
Filing probate in Modoc County is relatively straightforward. With this in mind, however, the forms are complicated and the process lengthy! The estate’s Executor must file a probate petition and the decedent’s will with the court. Once Letters are issued, you must take immediate action to complete the inventory and appraisal process. The Executor must also notify all creditors and interested parties about the pending probate. Non-monetary assets will be appraised. Assets must be liquidated to pay outstanding debts and creditors. Afterward, the personal representative can distribute all remaining assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries and heirs.
Being a 9-12 month legal process, filing probate in Modoc County can be a confusing process if you are trying to tackle the process without any professional help. Contact A People’s Choice to speak with one of our experienced probate staff about how we can help you probate your loved one’s estate without an attorney. As mentioned above, despite common belief, you do not have to hire an attorney to file probate in Modoc County. We can help most people probate an estate and finish the process in less than one year. This is due in large part to the fact that we streamline the probate process and have incorporated a high-tech case management system for every client. In addition, since probate primarily consists of filing legal documents and attending procedural court hearings, litigation is rare in probate matters.
At A People’s Choice, you can save thousands of dollars in attorney fees by working with an experienced probate legal document preparer. We are proud of the fact that Court Clerks and probate Judges alike often recommend our services! Contact us today at 800-747-2780 for more information about the services we provide and how we can help you file probate in Modoc County.
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