Local Probate Specialist Unveils Website and Hotline to Demystify The Probate Process in California

74% of Americans still die without a will, often leaving those left behind to deal with probate. And in spite of so much information readily available, probate is still one of those subjects that is shrouded in mystery. Most have heard probate horror stories but hardly anyone has a clear picture of: What it is, why does one need it, how long will it take, do we need a lawyer, how much does it cost, etc.? We get asked these questions daily, that is why we have put together a website and 800-number to provide plain English answers to all of the commonly asked questions about probate in California.

Oakland, CA (PRWEB) October 22, 2006 -- While Estate Planning in general, and Living Trusts in particular have become standard for the baby boomer generation, some estimates say that up to 74% of Americans still die without a will. This leaves it up to family members to deal with dissolving and distributing the estate. Studies show that most of us have not written down how we would like our assets to be distributed after our death, thereby increasing the likelihood of probate.

“Anyone who has had a close relative pass away has probably heard off probate”, says Patrick Z. Riley, a San Francisco East Bay probate specialist. “And it seems most have heard of at least one probate horror story. Newspaper headlines such as:

“Cincinnati Bengals Probate Fight”, or “Thirty-Four Years After His Death, Jimi Hendrix’s Estate Was Still In Court”, and many others we have seen over the years certainly reinforce the idea that probate can be a major headache. And to make matters worse, since probate is a public process, all of the information becomes public record, making heirs targets for con artists and scammers.

In our 21 years of experience, we know that hardly anyone has a clear picture of what probate is, what it entails, why it is necessary, and how to navigate through the process quickly and easily. We also appreciate the fact that calling a lawyer can be intimidating and scary. People often find themselves having to deal with it unexpectedly, and all too often during a very emotionally draining time. This is especially true when the administrator also has to deal with complex financial issues and uncooperative family members. And not knowing your way around the court system can make the whole deal painfully slow and very costly”, says Mr. Riley. “That is what compelled us, as a service to the public, to create a couple of FREE resources: www.probatequestions.org, and an information hotline (800) 929-9750. Both resources will provide plain English answers to the most commonly asked questions about probate in California. They also teach what questions to ask to when shopping for an attorney.”

In spite of the abundance of information available today, we found what is missing are answers to what probate is, why and when it is necessary, what the process is and how much it will cost; in an easy to digest format”, says Mr. Riley. “www.probatequestions.org and (800) 929-9750 were designed to fill that need.”

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