California has one of the highest probate fee structures in the country. On a $500,000 estate, you can lose $26,000 in attorney and executor fees before a single dollar reaches your family. On a $1 million estate, that number climbs to $46,000. Neither figure includes filing fees, publication costs, or bond premiums. This is what families in Riverside and Orange County are actually dealing with. This page breaks down every cost category with real numbers so you're not caught