Probate bonds by the numbers
- $239,700
- Estate value above which formal California probate, and often a bond, is generally required
- California Courts
The court sets the amount, not you
A probate bond (also called an executor or administrator bond) has its amount set by the court, generally tied to the value of the estate the personal representative will handle. Prob. Code §8482 sets the formula: the personal property in the estate, plus its probable annual gross income, plus the value of any real property that will be sold. You do not pick the number and you do not post the full amount: you pay an annual premium, a small percentage of it.
What you actually pay
Probate bond premiums run on a sliding scale, typically starting around 0.5% of the bond amount and declining as the bond grows. That premium model is the same one behind every surety bond. These are general figures, not a quote, and your credit and the estate factor in.
| Bond amount | Typical annual premium |
|---|---|
| Around $20,000 | Roughly $100 to $150 |
| Around $500,000 | Roughly $500 to $1,000 |
| Around $1,000,000 | Often near $2,800 |
The cheapest lever: block the money
Because the premium is a percentage of the bond, and the bond is a function of what you control, the most effective way to cut the cost is to reduce what you control. Under Prob. Code §8483, cash or securities deposited into a blocked account (withdrawable only on a court order) can substantially reduce the bond the court requires.
For a largely liquid estate this is often the difference between bonding the whole value and bonding a fraction of it. It costs you flexibility: every withdrawal needs a court order. Where the funds were going to sit until distribution anyway, that is a trade most representatives will take. Raise it with your attorney before the bond is ordered, not after.
The estate usually pays
The estate pays, not the executor out of pocket, and that is statutory rather than customary: Prob. Code §8486 allows the personal representative the reasonable cost of the bond for every year it remains in force. You may front the first premium, but it is a reimbursable expense of administration. Note the phrase every year: the bond renews until the court discharges you, so a probate that drags on keeps billing.
When a bond is required, and when it is not
- Waived by the will. Under Prob. Code §8481, no bond is required if the will waives it for the named executor.
- Waived by the heirs. Also Prob. Code §8481: if all beneficiaries waive in writing and the waivers are attached to the petition, no bond is required. The court can still order one for good cause, on a petition or its own motion.
- Small estates. Estates under the California small-estate threshold often avoid formal probate altogether, so no bond comes up.
Getting it placed
When the court does require a bond, we place it fast, credit challenges included, and often coordinate with your attorney. See the full probate bond page, or if your matter is a guardianship or appeal, we place those court bonds too and price the appeal bond the same sliding-scale way. Start a quote with the amount the court set.