Is the legacy complex and long? No more than “this amount”, just a declaration on paper and everything is done

inheritlegacy This often involves complex and lengthy legal processes, butCalifornia There’s an easy way to deal with this: For people who die after April 1, 2025, California allows their family members to claim small assets through a sworn declaration without going through formal probate processes, saving months of delay and thousands of dollars in costs.

El Cronista reported that according to California court rules, when the amount of the inheritance is below a specific limit set by law, heirs can use simplified procedures to receive the inheritance. The most common is the Small Estate Affidavit, which is an affidavit that allows heirs to claim the estate directly.

For those who died on or after April 1, 2025, their heirs may declare through the above oath, and the condition for directly receiving inheritance is that the inheritance amount should not exceed NT$208,850. Prior to this date, the ranges were $184,500 (expiring after April 2022) and $166,250 (expiring before). The upper limit of this inheritance amount is adjusted every three years, and the next adjustment date will be April 1, 2028.

The above affidavit applies to personal assets such as bank accounts, investments and personal belongings. The heirs are required to submit an affidavit directly to the bank or institution holding the property.

The current conditions for property inheritance mentioned above are only sworn and not subject to court proceedings: the process must be initiated at least 40 days after the date of death; No probate court case can be opened for the estate; The total value of the property must be less than or equal to $208,850, and no loans or mortgages can be deducted from this amount.

According to the court, certain assets are excluded from the above gross estate value, including: cars, boats, and mobile homes; real estate outside California; Trust property, including living trusts; property owned jointly with others, including joint bank accounts; Property that passes directly to the surviving spouse or common-law partner; And life insurance and other benefits are paid directly to named beneficiaries.

Real estate transactions follow different rules. Beginning April 1, 2025, California law allows heirs to transfer the decedent’s primary residence through simplified court procedures, provided the value of the residence does not exceed $750,000. The simplified transfer limit for other real estate is $69,625.

Although probate is not required in the above situation, lawyers point out that some banks may require additional documents, so family members should carefully understand the relevant requirements or consult a probate lawyer before submitting the application.