Probate in San Bernardino County

Probate Court Record

San Bernardino County Superior Court - Probate Division

San Bernardino County

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Office

17780 Arrow Boulevard, Fontana, CA 92335

Filing in person

Walk-ins accepted

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

How to file probate in San Bernardino County →

Verified October 15, 2026 · Source

Do I need a lawyer for probate in San Bernardino County? →Settling an estate in San Bernardino County →

Trust Administration Firms Serving San Bernardino County

Corona-headquartered firm with offices in San Diego, Newport Beach, Glendale, and San Francisco, plus satellite offices in Riverside, Temecula, Vista, and Roseville. Through its Sandoval Legacy Group division it handles probate and trust administration, conservatorships, will contests and fiduciary disputes, elder law, and special needs planning. Offers a free phone consultation.

Serves 7 countiesFree consultationVirtual consultationsEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+6

Riverside practice focused on probate across Southern California and the Inland Empire, including large estates, spousal property petitions, out-of-state probate, and summary procedures for smaller estates. Serves Anaheim, Chino Hills, Claremont, Fullerton, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, Santa Ana, and Upland. Offers free consultations, virtual consultations, and remote case management.

Solo PracticeServes 4 countiesFree consultationVirtual consultationsEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbate

Serves Orange County from Santa Ana, and takes matters in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. Handles court-supervised probate administration, post-death trust administration for successor trustees, and estate and trust dispute mediation, alongside long-term care planning and special needs trusts. Home and office visits are available.

Solo PracticeServes 5 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawSpecial Needs PlanningReal Estate

Sherman Oaks solo practice serving Los Angeles County plus Ventura and San Bernardino, including the San Fernando, San Gabriel, and Pomona Valleys. Sara Polinsky has practiced exclusively in estate planning and elder law since 1998, handling trust administration, probate, planning for incapacity, and Medi-Cal long-term-care eligibility.

Solo PracticeServes 3 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Law

Palm Springs firm serving the Coachella Valley, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties with probate and estate administration, trust administration, and will-contest and trust litigation alongside estate planning, conservatorships, and guardianships. Led by a bar-certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law; the attorneys have over 170 years of combined experience.

Serves 2 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+5

Serves Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, Kern, and Los Angeles counties, with six Central Coast and Southern California offices. Handles probate and trust administration, conservatorships, guardianships, and will and trust disputes, alongside estate planning and Medi-Cal planning. Christopher Botti is a State Bar board certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.

Serves 5 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+5

All 43 California trust administration firms serving San Bernardino County →

Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in California

Free California forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for California.

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Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

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Pour-Over Will

In California, a pour-over will is signed before 2Cal. Prob. Code § 6110Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.

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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in California

Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in California: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for California.

How Do I Settle a Trust?

Settling a trust in California happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's trust statuteCal. Prob. Code § 15000 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysCal. Prob. Code §§ 16061.7, 16061.8, 16064, 16460Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.

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What's Fair Trustee Compensation?

In California, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent)Cal. Prob. Code §§ 15680-15688Verified Sep 18, 2026View source unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.

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How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in California: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 120 daysCal. Prob. Code §§ 8800-8804, 8900-8903Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsCal. Prob. Code §§ 9050-9054, 9100-9104, 9150, 9153, 9256, 9353, 11420; CCP § 366.2Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 9 months to 12 months.

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Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?

California requires a final state income tax return for the decedent alongside the federal Form 1040Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code §§ 17041, 17043; Cal. Const. art. XIII, § 36(f)(2)Verified Sep 20, 2026View source; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,00026 USC 2001(c), 2010; P.L. 119-21 §70106Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.

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How Does Step-Up in Basis Work?

Inherited assets in California take a basis reset to fair market value on the date of death26 USC § 1014Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the gain on a later sale faces ordinary income tax at the state's regular ratesCal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 17041(a), (e), (h) — rate schedule; estates/trusts taxed at individual rates; annual bracket indexingVerified Sep 15, 2026View source.

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