The California Probate Process: A Step-by-Step Guide

By Sandra McCarthy|February 4th, 2021|Probate|

The probate process in California starts after someone dies. Depending on the size of the estate, the process of probating an estate can be surprisingly quick and simple to complete. For larger estates, probate may be lengthy and more complex. Here's what you need to know to start the probate process in California.

What is a Living Trust and How to Easily Set It Up in California

By Sandra McCarthy|February 3rd, 2021|

A living trust allows a person to put their property under the control of a trustee who holds legal title to the property on behalf of a beneficiary. Many individuals choose to create a living trust so their estate can avoid probate upon their death. However, in some cases, a trust may not provide adequate legal protection. If you're wondering if a living trust is right for you, read on to learn more.

Adele and Ex-Husband Simon Konecki Reach Divorce Settlement in California Nearly Two Years After Split

By Sandra McCarthy|February 3rd, 2021|Divorce|

Adele is famous for delivering heart-wrenching ballads and power anthems about the highs and lows of romantic relationships. However, outside her music career, the Grammy-winning superstar was much more private about her romantic life. That included her divorce to ex-husband Simon Konecki. According to press sources, Adele and Konecki were married for seven years [...]

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What is a Definitive Explanation of California Probate?

By Sandra McCarthy|February 1st, 2021|Probate|

California Probate California probate is a simple concept, but that doesn't stop it from stirring up a great deal of trouble in families. The heirs to the estate of the acclaimed singer Prince can attest to that. He died without a will, so his assets are going through a lengthy process laid out by [...]

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Seven Ex-Wives, Three Surviving Children: Who Inherits Larry King’s $50M Fortune?

By Sandra McCarthy|January 29th, 2021|Probate, Estate Planning|

It’s no exaggeration to say “Larry King” is a household name. King was an enduring on-air personality known for his celebrity interviews and topical discussions. The 87-year-old nationally syndicated radio host was a nightly fixture on CNN, where he conducted an estimated 50,000 on-air interviews from 1985 through 2010. King had an illustrious career [...]

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How long does it take to get a divorce in California?

By Sandra McCarthy|January 24th, 2021|Divorce Column 2, Divorce FAQs|

How long does it take to get a divorce in California? Well, there are two separate dates to keep in mind - 1) when the case has been completed and a Judgment entered, and 2) when a divorce is terminated. Divorce - The clock starts ticking as soon as the other party is served [...]

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How to Prepare for National Adoption Day 2021 in California

By Sandra McCarthy|January 24th, 2021|Adoption|

“No matter how they arrive in the family, an adopted child is a child of the parents who adopted them.” HealthyChildren.org There are countless heartwarming scenes from adoption courts all over the country with new families literally jumping for joy. National Adoption Day celebrates these families every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. This year's [...]

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“Real Housewives” Star Erika Jayne and Tom Girardi: A Case Study in Divorce Asset Division

By Sandra McCarthy|January 23rd, 2021|Divorce|

Erika Jayne, a star of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, stunned her fans on November 3, 2020, by announcing the end of her 21-year marriage to attorney Tom Girardi, citing “irreconcilable differences.” Jayne made the announcement as news of a barrage of lawsuits filed against Girardi and his law firm, Girardi Keese, [...]

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Can the parties agree to waive the required Financial Disclosures?

By Sandra McCarthy|January 21st, 2021|Divorce Column 2, Divorce FAQs|

California law requires financial disclosure in divorce. This means that both parties are mandated by law to exchange financial information which includes a statement of assets and debts and community and separate property. There are two disclosures that are required under California law, the preliminary disclosure and the final disclosure. When the parties sign a marital settlement [...]

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The Pre-Divorce Checklist: How to Prepare for Divorce in California

By Sandra McCarthy|January 21st, 2021|Divorce|

You never thought the dire divorce statistics in the US would ever include you, right? Even if it seems like a nightmare, don’t wait too long to get started on your divorce planning. Your soon-to-be-ex is likely already laying a plan to get the most they can from a settlement, and you don’t want [...]

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Filing a California Heggstad Petition

By Sandra McCarthy|January 13th, 2021|Probate|

A Heggstad petition is used to legally declare that property listed on a trust schedule is nevertheless a trust asset, despite being formally omitted from the trust. If you need to transfer property to beneficiaries and want to save the estate from being fully probated, you may want to file a California Heggstad petition.

Changing Title on a House – How to Do it Right

By Sandra McCarthy|December 28th, 2020|Estate Planning|

If you need to change the title on a house, be confident you have handled all steps in the process correctly. It's always best to hire a professional to prepare a deed or other title transfer. Otherwise, with an improper deed, you might not have the ownership rights you believe you have. Worst yet, you might retain ownership responsibilities you think you no longer should have.

Divorce Proceedings: What to Expect

By Sandra McCarthy|December 24th, 2020|Divorce|

The divorce proceedings begin when you file for divorce and then serve your spouse with divorce papers. Instead of paying a princely sum for a divorce lawyer or stressing about preparing the divorce paperwork yourself, California law makes it possible for a non-attorney legal document assistant to prepare your divorce forms and start your divorce proceedings without having to hire a lawyer.

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Online Divorce Services

By Sandra McCarthy|December 9th, 2020|Divorce|

Nowadays, many people seek out online divorce services to help them complete their divorce case. And while it only makes sense to be wary of the exorbitant prices charged by most divorce lawyers, it does not mean that you should go for the cheapest possible option when choosing an online divorce service. There are plenty of free and freemium divorce apps out there, but for the most part, you get what you pay for. Even a simple divorce involves real legal documents, therefore it is best to work with a real legal document professional who offers the best of both worlds - online divorce services and one-on-one professional help.. For the divorce services you need, the best choice is to work with A People's Choice, a California non-attorney legal document assistant, instead of a lawyer.

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Tips to Achieve a Friendly Divorce

By Sandra McCarthy|December 9th, 2020|Divorce|

If you and your spouse are able to be civil and behave reasonably toward each other even as your relationship is deteriorating, then your chances of having a friendly divorce are good. Another thing that can keep your divorce from getting ugly is not letting your divorce ruin your finances. Just as an unnecessarily expensive wedding can cast a dark cloud over your marriage, shelling out lots of money for divorce lawyers can sink your amicable divorce. Engaging the services of a California non-attorney legal document assistant can help you keep the peace and focus on the goal of achieving a friendly divorce.

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What is a Dissolution of Marriage?

By Sandra McCarthy|December 9th, 2020|Divorce|

Marriage dissolution is the legal term for divorce. It is possible for many couples to dissolve their marriages without hiring lawyers or appearing before a judge. Using the professional services of a legal document assistant service like A People's Choice, to help you file your dissolution of marriage can save you thousands of dollars as compared to hiring an attorney.

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How to Obtain Conservatorship in California

By Sandra McCarthy|December 2nd, 2020|Probate|

One of the first steps of obtaining conservatorship in California is understanding the process. Then, you must complete complicated petition documents. Need help with this step? Be sure to contact A People's Choice for low cost, attorney-free assistance.

How to Get an Affordable Divorce in California

By Sandra McCarthy|November 22nd, 2020|Divorce|

The best option for an affordable divorce is to hire someone with up-to-date expert knowledge on court documents and legal paperwork. That person is a legal document assistant, who holds a certificate verifying their extensive professional knowledge of California legal documents. Legal document assistants do not charge exorbitant hourly rates or bill you for every minute that any employee in their office devotes to your case.

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How to Have an Amicable Divorce

By Sandra McCarthy|November 22nd, 2020|Divorce|

Keeping things professional instead of adversarial is what makes an amicable divorce amicable; hiring a certified legal document assistant can help you avoid blaming each other for excessive spending or clerical errors. Contact A People’s Choice to prepare the documents in your amicable divorce.

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How Does Collaborative Divorce Work?

By Sandra McCarthy|November 22nd, 2020|Divorce|

Collaborative divorce can work well if you are committed to being professional about it. The bad news is that it is not cheap. Paying a lawyer for countless billable hours is not cheap under any circumstances. Who needs a collaborative divorce when you can have an amicable one? Instead of lawyers, talk to your spouse. Instead of going to a law office, talk at home. You and your spouse can decide together what each party wants out of the divorce. When you are ready, you can file the uncontested divorce paperwork. You do not have to go to court. You do not even need to involve any professionals, except a legal document assistant.

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Will Documents

Description of Will Documents (Notary fees additional)	Price
Will (individual)	$200
Codicil to Will	$125
Will package (individual) includes Will, Healthcare Directive and Financial Power of Attorney	$250
Will package (couple) includes 2 Wills, 2 Healthcare Directives and 2 Financial Powers of Attorney	$399
Other Services	Call for Quote

Trust Documents

Description of Trust Documents (Notary fees additional)	Price
Revocable Trust or Restatement of Revocable Trust (Individual) Trust or Trust Restatement only (you must have an existing revocable trust)	$300
Revocable Trust or Restatement of Revocable Trust (Couple) Trust or Trust Restatement only (you must have an existing trust)	$400
Revocable Trust or Restatement of Revocable Trust Package (Individual) Includes Trust, Pour-over Will, Certificate of Trust, Healthcare Directive, Financial Power of Attorney and estate folder	$499
Revocable Trust or Restatement of Revocable Trust Package (Couple) Includes joint trust, 2 Pour-over Wills, Certificate of Trust, 2 Healthcare Directives, 2 Financial Powers of Attorney and estate folder	$650
Special Needs Trust Designed for beneficiaries with physical or mental disabilities.	$700
Irrevocable Medi-Cal and/or VA Planning Trust	$700
Trust Transfer Deed and Preliminary Change of Ownership (California property)	$200 ($50 discount w/trust pkg)
Trust Transfer Deed (Out-of-State property)	$275 ($50 discount w/trust pkg)
Trust Transfer Deed (Timeshare)	$275 ($50 discount w/trust pkg)

Individual Estate Documents

Description of Individual Documents (Notary fees additional)	Price
Will	$200
Healthcare Directive	$125
Financial Power of Attorney	$125
Codicil to Will	$125
Trust Amendment	$200 and up
Trust Transfer Deed and Preliminary Change of Ownership (California property)	$200
Trust Transfer Deed (Out-of-State property)	$275
Trust Transfer Deed (Timeshare)	$275
Other Services	Call for Quote

Conservatorships Services We Offer	Price
Standard Conservatorship of Person AND/OR Estate (1 Petitioner) with or without Dementia Orders (Documents Only)	$1500
Limited Conservatorship for Developmentally Disabled (Documents Only)	$1200
Add-on Fees for Emergency Ex Parte Conservatorship (limited or standard)	+$300
Additional co-petitioner fee to any Conservatorship Petition	+$200
Add-on Fees for application for notice waivers and order	+$300
Add-on Fees for case management through Petition phase. Services include scheduling of any associated hearings, facilitating filing of documents with the court and other management services typically required to complete your Petition request	+$250
Standard preparation time is 10-14 business days. Rush preparation of all documentation is available for additional fee	$350+

Estate Administration Services	Price
Trust Administration (1 real property) each additional property +$200	$499
Probate Transfer by Affidavit (non-court, for estates with personal property only. This process cannot be used for estates with real property. Property must be valued under $166,250/$184,500)	$225
Simplified Probate Proceeding to Transfer Real Property Not Exceeding $55,425/61,000 (up to 2 Petitioners; 1 real property)	$649*
Simplified Probate Proceeding to Transfer Real Property Not Exceeding $166,425 (up to 2 Petitioners; 1 real property)	$799*
Spousal Property Petition (1 real property)	$749*
Heggstad Petition (1 Petitioner, 1 real property)	$1500**
No frills Probate Petition Documents Only for California Probate with Order of Probate and Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary (document prep only with instructions. No court filing or additional support services.)	$750**
Phase 1 California Probate Petition (Full Service with court filing assistance, arranging publication, notices and case management) up to Order of Probate and Letters of Administration or Letters Testamentary	$1500**
Most Popular Full service, complete California Probate, facilitation of court filings, arranging publication, administrative notices, and ongoing case management services	$3900**
Probate Phase 2 or Phase 3 Full Service	$1500.00+/phase
Report of Sale and Petition for Order Confirming Sale Real Property (for matters with limited authority)	$1500.00 +costs
Notice of Proposed Action (up to 5 notices)	$250
Supplements to Petitions	$250 min. and up
Other Probate Services	Call for quote

*In these alternative small estate probate proceedings, if estate has more than 1 real property or 2 Co-Petitioners, additional fees will based on the following: +$75/each Petitioner over 2; +$150/each additional real property over 1. **In full probate proceedings, the following additional fees will apply, if applicable: +$250/each additional real property over 1; +$250/co-Petitioner; +$100/each beneficiary over 5. Fee covers all standard documents for routine proceeding but does not cover specialty services that may be required in some proceedings. Fees are based on all heirs waiving bond, waiver of accounting by all beneficiaries, and all creditors paid in full prior to filing Petition for Final distribution. Phase 3 Petition for Final Distribution may have add-on fees based on extraordinary actions or requests by the administrator prior to distribution. Annual surcharge fee of $500 will be assessed for each year or partial year the case remains open after 12 months.

Business Services We Offer	Price
General Corporation Includes standard minutes, bylaws, resolutions, stock certificates and corporate folder. Secretary of State fee: $100.00	$275
S-Corporation (Includes S-Corp election) Includes standard minutes, bylaws, resolutions, stock certificates and corporate folder. Secretary of State fee: $100.00	$310
LLC Includes Operating Agreement and corporate folder. Secretary of State fee: $70.00	$399
Professional Corp Includes Bylaws. Secretary of State fee: $100.00	$499
Non Profit Corporation Includes standard minutes, bylaws and corporate folder. Secretary of State Fee: $30.00	$499
501(C)(3) Non Profit Federal Tax Application	$599
Dissolve Corporation	$200
Walk Through Service with Secretary of State (turn around time 7-10 days)	$165
Registered Agent for Service (Annual) Click here to sign up.	$175
IRS S-Corp Election only	$50
Obtain Tax ID Number	$50
Statement of Information	$50
Fictitious Business Name Includes facilitating processing and publication (filing fee and publication fees vary from county to county).	$175
Basic Partnership Agreement	$300
Business Sales Agreement	$300
Copyright Standard Application	$150
Other Business Services	Call for Quote

Agreements	Price
Marital Settlement Agreement only	$275+
Stipulation and Order	$350+
Stipulation/Order with Paternity petition	$624
Pre or postnuptial Agreement (basic)	$299
Nuptial Agreement with complex, custom clauses	$999

Paternity Matters	Price
Paternity Petition only	$300
Stipulation and Order only	$350
Paternity Petition with Stipulated Judgment	$575
Paternity Petition with Request for Order/Motion for custody, visitation, support	$875

Marriage and Domestic Partnerships Proceedings	Price
Short term Marriage/Domestic Partnership (no personal property, children or real property)	$499
Marriage/Domestic Partnership with personal property (NO children, includes written Agreement)	$624
Marriage/Domestic Partnership with children (Includes written Agreement)	$624
Marriage/Domestic Partnership with 1 real property (Includes written Agreement	$775
Summary Dissolution (Please check qualifications for Summary Dissolution)	$499
Termination of Domestic Partnership through Secretary of State (Please check qualifications for Secretary of State procedure)	$499
Petition Only OR Response to Dissolution	$200-$300
Application to Serve by Publication	$275

NEW "DOCUMENTS ONLY" SERVICE for Marriage and Domestic Partnerships Proceedings. Budget option for documents only. Services do not include any case management or filing services.	Price
Preparation of standard dissolution or legal separation documents for short-term marriage or domestic partnership (no personal property, children or real property, with filing instructions). Includes all standard documents from Summons to Judgment.	$250
Preparation of standard dissolution or legal separation documents for marriage or domestic partnership (with filing instructions.) Includes all standard documents from Summons and Petition through Judgment based on parties signing a drafted Marital Settlement Agreement (does not address any separate or community real property.)	$400
Preparation of standard dissolution or legal separation documents for marriage or domestic partnership (with filing instructions.) Includes all standard documents from Summons and Petition through Judgment based on parties signing a drafted Marital Settlement Agreement which addresses separate or community real property division.)	$550

Motion/Contested Matters (does not include preparation of Orders After Hrg)	Price
Custody or Visitation Motion (RFO)	$475
Custody, Visitation and/or Support Motion (RFO)	$575
Emergency Custody or Visitation Motion (RFO) Includes request for temporary orders.	$900 min. (incudes RUSH processing)
Emergency Custody, Visitation, Support Motion Includes request for temporary orders.	$975 min. (includes RUSH processing)
Custody, Visitation and Support Motion with Paternity Petition	$875
Ex Parte to Terminate Child Support at 18	$250
Motion for Change of Venue	$575
Motion for Gillmore Election	$775
Other specialty motions	$575+ requires quote
Motion for Bifurcation and Final Judgment documentation	$825
Restraining Order- civil or domestic (no children)	$400 min.
Restraining Order (with children)	$575 min.

Guardianship Services	Price
Guardianship Affidavit or Power of Attorney (non-court)	$175
Guardianship of Person AND/OR Estate (1 Petitioner)	$1200
Add-on Fees for Co-Petitioners (per additional petitioner)	+$200
Add-on Fees for additional Minor(s) per minor	+$400
Add-on fees for Temporary ExParte Guardianship Request	+$300
Terminate Guardianship of Person and/or Estate	$399
Other Guardianship Services	Call for Quote

Expungement Services	Price
California Expungements	$399; +$200 ea. addtl. (same case #)
Felony to Misdemeanor reduction	$399
Criminal Prop 47 Resentencing or Reduction	$399; +$200 ea. addtl. (same case #)
Motion to Terminate Probation Early	$575
Petition to Seal Record	$499
Petition for Certificate of Rehabilitation	$399; +$50 each additional felony

Name Change Services	Price
Adult Name Change (individual)	$399
Combo Adult Name Change with 1 child – If more than one child, add $100.00 for each additional	$450
Name change for Minor Child – If more than one child, add $100.00 for each additional	$399
Name change after Divorce (Certified copy of Order extra)	$100

Title Transfers	Price
Grant Deed, Quitclaim Deed, Affidavit Death of Joint Tenant, Trust Transfer Deed, Transfer on Death Deed or other California deed Includes preparation of Preliminary Change of Ownership Report	$200
Warranty or Out-of-State Deeds (Non-California Deeds)	$275
Timeshare Deeds	$275

Other Matters	Price
Claim for Exclusion of Reassessment (parent/child or grandparent/grandchild)	$125 (discounted to $100 if prepared with deed)
Promissory Note secured by Deed of Trust	$325
Request for Special Notice re Deed of Trust	$125
Order copy of last transfer document/deed	$30

Civil Complaints and Answers	Price
Small Claims Package Includes preparation of claim, submission of documents to court, scheduling of hearing and arranging service of process	$250 plus $25 each defendant over 1
Civil Complaint Limited with 1 cause of action Each additional cause of action	$250 +$75
Response to unverified Civil Complaint with affirmative defenses	$250
Response to verified Civil Complaint with affirmative defenses	$350 (1 cause of action)

Other Civil and Misc. Matters	Price
Propounding Discovery Interrogatories, Request for Admissions, Production of Documents	$500 up
Responding to Discovery Interrogatories, Request for Admissions, Production of Documents	$500 up
Motion to Set Aside Default Judgment	$575
Civil Restraining Order	$499; $25 each addtl. protected person
Renew Judgment	$350
California Sister State Judgment	$300
Other Collection Proceedings	Call for quote
Expungement	$399
Other Services	Call for quote

Copyright Services	Price
Federal Copyright Application	$150
Government Filing Fee	$45-$65

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