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We Advance All Costs for San Diego Probate Clients and Get Paid When We Close the Probate
Best San Diego Probate Law Firm

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Find Out Why We Are The Best San Diego Probate Lawyers

3 rEASONS WHY WE ARE THE BEST PROBATE LAWYERS IN SAN DIEGO:

1. We Can Appear For You in Probate Court

If you would like to accompany us in court you are more than welcome to, however many of our clients prefer not to and that is not a problem on our end. We are able to handle all probate matters on your behalf.

2. We Speak So You Understand

Probate is filled with foreign terms and strict rules. We make it a point to translate the legal jargon into plain English so that all of our clients understand how the process works.

3. We work virtually or in office, you decide

Opelon LLP’s online secure client platform allows us to work with clients all over the state of California, so there is no need for you to take time off work to meet us in our offices.

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Is Probate Needed?

If someone you loved passed away in San Diego or has California assets, you may need an experienced San Diego Probate Attorney to guide you through the probate process.

At Opelon LLP, our sole mission is to improve the lives of our clients by handling the complicated and stressful probate process.

This includes filing the probate petition and other probate court required documents and gathering the assets of the decedent to create an inventory. 

We work hard to get you and your family the inheritance you are entitled to.

See our  Probate FAQ’s

Probate is Not Easy in San Diego

Understanding Probate in San Diego

How Long Does A San Diego Probate Take To Complete?

In most counties in California, the minimum time to complete a formal Probate is approximately 8 months (i.e. 2 months to get a hearing date to have an Executor/Administrator appointed + 4 months for creditors to file a claim + 2 months to get a hearing to approve final distribution).

However, even a “simple” Probate (e.g. one with few assets, few (if any) controversies, few (if any) creditors, and little (if any) taxes owed), takes 10 months, but more often closer to 12 months and in some counties even longer due to few judges handling many probates.

For comparison, a more “complicated” Probate (e.g. where the Decedent had many assets, creditors, heirs, beneficiaries,  unknown heirs and beneficiaries, was a defendant in a pending lawsuit, or had significant taxes, etc.) could last years.

What is Probate?

Probate is a legal process that takes place when someone passes away with limited (or no) estate planning in place.

During the process, the last will and testament may need to be submitted to the probate court where a probate judge will appoint a fiduciary to handle the distribution of the decedent’s estate. 

Can I Handle The Probate Process without an Attorney?
...Should I hire a Probate Attorney?

The complexity of a probate largely depends on the value and type of assets and the debts of the decedent. The trouble is, you don’t know what you don’t know, and if an estate is mismanaged you may find yourself personally liable.

Hiring an experienced San Diego Probate attorney will ensure that the proper filings are made with the court and the correct notices are given to all interested parties. Each court has their own unique local rules when it comes to carrying out these tasks.

A good place to start is by giving us a call for a free consultation or by taking our Probate Quiz to find out if the assets in question are subject to probate.

How to "Find a san Diego Probate Lawyer Near Me"

We work with probate clients all throughout the state of California. With that said, if you prefer to come into our office, we are based in Carlsbad which is located in north San Diego.

86

Average estate plans per year

25+

Years of combined attorney experience

58

California Counties Serviced 

200+ million

In Assets Transferred

“We Take Pride in helping good people Navigate Tough Situations”

-Attorney Matt Odgers

plan of action

Our San Diego Probate Lawyers Know Their Way Around Probate!

01

Open Probate

To open probate you will file a petition for probate and publish notice. Once filed you will be given a hearing on the probate petition and then issued “Letters”

2-3 months

02

Gather Assets; Give Notice; Pay Creditors and Taxes

After probate is opened, you will need to prepare and file a list of the estate assets, give notice to any known or reasonably ascertainable creditors, and pay the decedent’s expenses, debts, and taxes.

+2-3 months

03

Obtain Court Approval and Distribute Assets

Once the final accounting is prepared and notice is sent to all interested parties, the court will need to approve the final accounting and issue an order to distribute assets. 

+4-6 weeks

Work with a San Diego Probate Lawyer from Opelon to guide you through the Probate process.

All the way through.

Work with a San Diego Probate Lawyer so you are not alone.

Here are some of the services our San Diego Probate Law Firm Provides

Our San Diego Probate Attorneys are committed to giving each of our clients the best experience possible.

We will advise you on your options and take all of the legal stress out of your circumstance so that you can focus on your grief and family. 

Types of Probate Estate Proceedings we Handle

Meet Your Top San Diego Probate Attorney

T. Owen Rassman

San Diego Probate Attorney

Owen Rassman

T. Owen Rassman

Attorney T. Owen Rassman

Opelon LLP combines big firm qualifications with small firm accessibility. With degrees in tax (LL.M.), law (J.D..) and business (M.B.A..), its Co-founding Attorney, T. Owen Rassman, is uniquely qualified to bridge the often overlapping areas of Trusts, Estates, & Probates. 

Owen has the experience and qualifications to counsel you from start to finish.

At Opelon LLP, our level of service extends far beyond our qualifications. Owen strives to build lasting relationships. At Opelon LLP, you will get to know your attorney and feel comfortable asking questions. That’s a promise!

Estate planning is done on a flat fee basis, so questions are encouraged. Probate fees are set by the court, and we bill hourly for trust administration services. In all situations, the initial consultation is free.

Our business model is built on providing quality service at reasonable rates. If our clients are happy, we are confident they will refer friends and family. It is as simple as that.

T. Owen Rassman is originally from Los Angeles, and still has close ties to the city, including family and his UCLA Bruins, but his heart lies in North County San Diego.

When not reading up on changes to the tax code and counseling clients, Owen enjoys spending time with family, surfing in Cardiff and traveling.

More than I expected. And I can call him directly. You will not find that in most legal offices. Very professional and knowledgeable. I have found my estate attorney. Thank you, Owen.

Joseph T.,
Oceanside CA

Here Are Answers to Some Common san Diego Probate Questions

FAQ’s Answered by a San Diego Probate Lawyer

A probate lawyer is a lawyer familiar and experienced with probate proceedings. 

Probate refers to the court process of administering a decedent’s estate by gathering his/her assets, paying his/her taxes and debts, and distributing his/her remaining assets to the proper beneficiaries.

See: San Diego Probate Court

 

In a typical Probate, the person who files the Petition for Probate (“Petitioner”) is also the person requesting to be appointed as Personal Representative of the Estate (called an “Executor” or an “Administrator”).

This person, the Petitioner / Executor / Administrator, is the person who typically hires the Probate attorney.

If you have estate planning documents in place, you may be able to avoid probate all together.

Barring exceptional circumstances, the State does not take property in a Probate. 

That said, if the Decedent owed taxes to the California Franchise Tax Board (“FTB”) and/or the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), and assets are distributed to beneficiaries in a Probate before taxes are paid, the FTB and IRS can come after the Executor / Administrator and potentially even the beneficiaries for payment of the tax debt.

Pursuant to the California Probate Code, the attorney representing the Executor / Administrator does not get paid for his/her services until the Court has ordered payment.

Typically, this is at least 9 months after the Probate is started; and typically only after the Probate estate has cash available to pay the attorney.

Probate is a Court process sometimes required to transfer title to the Decedent’s assets out of the Decedent’s name and in to the name of the Executor / Administrator, who then has legal authority to pay the Decedent’s debts and taxes and distribute what remains to the beneficiaries.

If a Probate is required but never started, title to the Decedent’s assets may remain in the Decedent’s name, meaning his/her beneficiaries may not be able to inherit the Estate’s assets.

The Probate attorney can only take a retainer in a Probate to cover their anticipated expenses.

California probate attorneys cannot take a retainer to pay their legal fees.

In a “simple” Probate, expenses usually range between $1,500 and $2,000 (e.g. filing fee for the Petition for Probate, publication fees, bond premium, filing fees for the Inventory and Appraisals, filing fees for the Petition for Distribution, etc.). 

Of course, every Probate is different and expenses in a Probate could and often do exceed the above range.

While not guaranteed, when you work with a probate lawyer there is less chance of making mistakes on filings.

Without mistakes, the probate process can be completed as fast as the courts calendar allows. 

Work with an experienced Probate attorney to make sure:

  1. you timely file the Petition for Probate;
  2. that the Petition does not have defects, which would be cause for delays;
  3. all persons entitled to notice of the Petition receive such notice;
  4. known and reasonably ascertainable creditors are notified;
  5. assets are timely transferred from the Decedent to the Probate estate; 
  6. taxes are timely filed; and
  7. the Final Petition for Distribution is timely filed, without defects.

Typically, the Executor / Administrator does not need to appear in Court; rather, his/her attorney appears for him/her.

However, every Probate is different and some may require testimony from the  Executor / Administrator, depending on the circumstances.

It is possible for your probate attorney to make the majority of your court appearances.

With that said, you should discuss this with your attorney to verify your specific case does not require your presence in court. 

  1. How much experience do they have in probate court?
  2. Will you have to pay fees out of pocket?
  3. Do they have the bandwidth to handle your probate matter?
  4. Is probate their primary focus?
  5. What can I expect as far as the current timing with the probate court?
  6. What is their communication policy?

Like finding any good service provider it is wise to look to experience and reputation. 

Here are some pointers:

  • Look at online reviews
  • Is probate, estate planning, and trust administration their practice’s main focus?
  • How long have they been in practice?
  • Do they have the capacity to take on your probate case?

An estate planning attorney puts in place a plan for transferring assets and making health care decisions prior to an individual becoming incapacitated. 

A probate attorney deals with distributing assets after a person’s death or incapacity through the probate court. 

Many attorneys who practice estate planning will also practice probate and trust administration. 

 

In the United States there is no difference between an attorney and a lawyer.  

Probate attorney fees are set by law as a portion of the gross estate value as follow: 

  1.  4% of the first $100,000.00
  2. 3% of the next $100,000.00
  3. 2% of the next $800,000.00
  4. 1% of the next $9,000,000.00
  5. .5% of the next $15,000.00
  6. Above $25,000,000.00, the court will determine

It is a good idea to reach out to an experienced probate attorney as soon as you ready after the death of a loved one. 

 

At Opelon we advance filing fees for our clients so that they do not have to come out of pocket to open a probate.

We are reimbursed by the estate once the probate process is completed. 

Give us a call to talk to an affordable probate attorney.

Find probate law firms near me

Do I Need to Hire a Probate Lawyer?

Unfortunately like most legal questions, the answer is: “It depends…”

If you answer NO to any of the questions below, then it is a good idea to reach out to us for a free consult. 

Does the estate qualify for a "summary" or "small probate" procedure?
Do all family members communicate well and get along?
Is there enough money in the estate to pay its debts?

Click below to take our Probate Quiz and one of our Probate Lawyers will reach out to you!

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