in California, and executor of an estate is entitled to collect fees from that estate based on a percentage, kind of like the tax code. If the probate estate is worth $1 million, the executor is entitled to $23,000 of that by the way, this is before any debts are paid on the estate. So if it is a $1 million home and there’s only $200,000 of equity in it, $23,000 still applies. Much better solution a living trust, funded with real estate and other property, and make sure it never has to go throug