Managing Probate Costs in Arizona

Brad: I often advance probate costs for people, expecting reimbursement later. Do you ever get paid a percentage of the estate value? I know some lawyers do. Also, for people working with you, what advice do you have to make the probate process smoother? What should they prepare beforehand?

Elizabeth: Percentage fees are more common in California, not really in Arizona anymore. However, if a family is in a tough spot financially, we can sometimes work out payment arrangements tied to the sale of property, like getting paid on the backend.

David: Arizona stopped percentage-based fees about 30 years ago. To make the process easier, we focus on educating clients, especially in estate planning. We want them to understand what we’re doing. Our staff explains our process during the initial call to ensure we’re a good fit. We also send a questionnaire before the appointment to help clients think about important questions and make our meeting more productive.