Probate

Granting Your Loved One’s Wishes Through Probate Court

While estate planning can raise difficult questions for you and your loved ones, appropriate planning can help protect assets, determine guardianship, divide your estate and govern your wishes after death. Though planning ahead is ideal, it does not always happen as you or your family would have hoped.

If your loved one did not prepare for the future, Berge & Berge can help you navigate through the court system to take charge of an estate so you can distribute your loved one’s assets as quickly, efficiently and effectively as possible. Our dedicated attorneys and paralegals can help you in matters related to estate administration and protect you in the performance of your duties if you are acting as the conservator, guardian, trustee or executor.

What Is The Probate Process?

Through the probate process, our San Jose firm will protect you from risk of loss and breach of fiduciary duty as you seek to manage your loved one’s estate. If your loved one’s estate is subject to probate, managed by the court, you may become responsible for the distribution of his or her assets.

If your estate is subject to probate, the California probate process will typically include the following steps:

  • Petition the probate court
  • Notify heirs
  • Petition the court to appoint an administrator or executor
  • Take inventory and get an appraisal of all assets
  • Pay estate debts
  • Sell assets
  • Pay taxes owed on the estate
  • Distribute assets to the heirs

Our firm’s founder and managing partner, Jim Berge, holds a master’s degree in tax law and is a California Certified Public Accountant (CPA). His combination of an accounting background and over 25 years of legal experience can help you better understand your duties and responsibilities so you may perform them competently.

You Do Not Have To Navigate Through Probate Alone — Let Us Help

If you find yourself responsible for overseeing an estate or are struggling with an estate matter, we at Berge & Berge can help. Contact our lawyers online or call (408)985-9918 to arrange a consultation in our West San Jose office. For over 25 years, we have helped people throughout the south San Francisco Bay Area with their estate planning and probate needs.