E191 3 Ways to Start Probate With No Upfront Fees

<p><span style="font-weight: 400">If you’ve done your research, you know that a good probate lawyer is not cheap. So how can you start your probate case even if you can't pay now?</span></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400">How much are probate attorney fees?</span></h2> <p><a href= "https://anthonyspark.com/new-york-probate-lawyer-fees/#how-much-do-new-york-probate-lawyers-charge"> Lawyer fees for the simplest probate case start at $3,000</a>. But probate is naturally messy, since is involves family, money, death, and high emotions.</p> <p>So probate fees are usually more, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars!</p> <p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-8783" src= "https://anthonyspark.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/https-www.ft_.comcontent14ea8e2a-0e47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d.jpg" alt= "source: https-::www.ft.com:content:14ea8e2a-0e47-11e7-a88c-50ba212dce4d" width="512" height="288" /></p> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400">When to probate fees have to be paid?</span></h2> <p>Generally, lawyers require an upfront payment, or <a href= "https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/retainer-fee.asp" target= "_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">retainer</a>, before starting work on your case. The upfront payment is usually a few thousand dollars, depending on the estimated total fees.</p> <p>Many folks, understandably, just don't have that money readily available, and ask "can <span style="font-weight: 400">probate fees</span> be paid from the estate," at the end?</p> <p>Yes, but only under certain circumstance. Why? Because estates can be unpredictable, with many twists and turns. While you may feel certain that there'll be plenty of funds to cover the lawyer fees, we've often seen:</p> <ul> <li>Unexpected mortgages or debts</li> <li>Unknown huge taxes due</li> <li>Assets aren't worth what you expected</li> <li>Assets had a named beneficiary, and therefore not part of the estate</li> </ul> <h2><span style="font-weight: 400">What to do if you can’t afford probate fees?</span></h2> <p>If you don't have the cash on-ha