California's fee schedule for attorneys is found at
Probate Code
Section 10810 and for executors is at Probate
Code Section
10800 and is a somewhat complicated formula. For ease of
approximation, a simplified formula can be used. It works for probate
estates with a value between $100,000 and $1 million. It is 2% of the
probate estate value + $3000. That sum would be the statutory fee for
the attorney and the executor would
receive an identical sum.
PROBATE ESTATE VALUES
TOTAL ATTORNEY AND
EXECUTOR FEES*
$100,000
$8,000
200,000
14,000
300,000
18,000
400,000
22,000
500,000
26,000
600,000
30,000
700,000
34,000
800,000
38,000
900,000
42,000
1,000,000
46,000
2,000,000
66,000
3,000,000
86,000
4,000,000
106,000
5,000,000
126,000
*The Attorney receives
one-half of this sum and the executor receives the other half. However,
often extraordinary fees are
allowed which could make this total even higher!
