In most states, lawyers charge by the hour or collect a flat fee for probate work. Not so in California. It’s one of only a few states that let lawyers charge a “statutory fee”—an amount that is a percentage of the value of the assets that go through probate. The percentages are set out in state statutes. (Cal. Probate Code §§ 10810, 10811.)
Here are the current rates:
Estate Value |
Statutory Fee |
$100,000 |
$4,000 |
$200,000 |
$7,000 |
$300,000 |
$9,000 |
$400,000 |
$11,000 |
$500,000 |
$13,000 |
$600,000 |
$15,000 |
$700,000 |
$17,000 |
$800,000 |
$19,000 |
$900,000 |
$21,000 |
$1 million |
$23,000 |
$1.5 million |
$28,000 |
$2 million |
$33,000 |
$3 million |
$43,000 |
$4 million |
$53,000 |
$5 million |
$63,000 |
$6 million |
$73,000 |
$7 million |
$83,000 |
$8 million |
$93,000 |
$9 million |
$103,000 |
$10 million |
$113,000 |
$15 million |
$138,000 |
$20 million |
$163,000 |
