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Catalina Structured Funding

Probate Advance Calculator

See the estimated dollar range of a probate advance you could potentially qualify for. Enter the estate value, your state, your share, and the current stage of probate. We use the statutory fee schedules for California (Cal. Probate Code §§ 10810 + 10800) and Florida (Fla. Stat. §§ 733.6171 + 733.617) and a reasonable-fee default for other states.

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How to read this estimate

The output is a dollar range, not a quote or offer. The calculator gives you a realistic ballpark of what an advance could look like based on industry-standard advance percentages (30 to 60 percent of an heir's share, depending on probate stage) and CSF's product range ($5,000 to $250,000). Your actual advance depends on case underwriting: validity of the probate filing, your standing as an heir, outstanding creditor claims, and other factors specific to your case. A probate advance from CSF is not a loan, never accrues interest, and is repaid only from your estate distribution when probate closes.

Estimate Your Probate Advance

Enter the estate details to see the dollar range of an advance you could potentially qualify for.

Total value of the estate before debts and administration costs. Include real estate, accounts, and personal property.

California and Florida use statutory fee schedules. Other states use “reasonable fee” standards; we default to ~5% of the estate.

%

If you are an only child or the sole beneficiary, this is 100%. If there are 4 equal heirs, this is 25%. If the will gives you a specific dollar bequest, enter that as a percentage of the net estate.

Court has appointed the executor/administrator; case is open. Earlier stages skew toward the low end of the range; near-distribution stages skew toward the high end because the underwriting window is shorter.

This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified financial advisor before making financial decisions.

How the Calculator Estimates Your Advance Range

The math has four steps. We walk through each one below so you can sanity-check the result against your own knowledge of the estate.

Step 1: Start with gross estate value

Gross estate value is the total value of all assets in the estate before debts, taxes, and administration costs. It includes real estate (typically the largest single asset), bank and brokerage accounts, retirement accounts that pass through probate, vehicles, business interests, and personal property. The petition filed at the start of probate generally lists an estimated gross value, and the inventory filed later provides a more accurate figure once the personal representative completes their investigation.

Step 2: Subtract estate administration costs

Probate is not free. Administration costs come out of the estate before heirs receive their share. The cost components are attorney fees, executor or personal representative commission, court filing fees, appraisal fees, publication costs, accounting fees, and miscellaneous expenses.

California uses a statutory schedule under Cal. Probate Code § 10810 for attorney compensation: 4 percent of the first $100,000, 3 percent of the next $100,000, 2 percent of the next $800,000, 1 percent of the next $9 million, 0.5 percent of the next $15 million, and a court-approved reasonable amount above $25 million. The personal representative receives the same schedule under Cal. Probate Code § 10800. A $1,000,000 California estate generates approximately $23,000 in statutory attorney fees plus $23,000 in personal representative commission, plus miscellaneous administration costs.

Florida uses a presumed-reasonable attorney fee schedule under Fla. Stat. § 733.6171(3). Personal representative commission is separate under Fla. Stat. § 733.617, typically around 3 percent of the first $1 million of compensable value.

Iowa caps both personal representative (Iowa Code § 633.197) and attorney (§ 633.198) compensation at 6 percent of the first $1,000, 4 percent of the next $4,000, and 2 percent of the excess. Wyoming uses the same schedule for both at Wyo. Stat. §§ 2-7-803 and 2-7-804: 10 percent on the first $1,000, 5 percent on the next $4,000, 3 percent on the next $15,000, and 2 percent above $20,000.

Missouri sets a personal representative schedule under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.153. Attorney fees are technically reasonable but Missouri courts typically apply the same schedule for ordinary services. New York sets executor commissions under SCPA § 2307: 5 percent on the first $100,000, 4 percent on the next $200,000, 3 percent on the next $700,000, 2.5 percent on the next $4 million, and 2 percent above $5 million. NY attorney fees are reasonable under SCPA § 2110; the calculator estimates them at 3 percent of the estate. Oklahoma sets personal representative compensation under Okla. Stat. tit. 58 § 527: 5 percent on the first $1,000, 4 percent on the next $4,000, 2.5 percent above $5,000. OK attorney fees are reasonable; estimated at 3 percent.

Other states generally use a reasonable-fee standard, where the attorney negotiates with the personal representative and the court approves the fee. There is no statutory schedule. The reasonable fee usually ranges from 3 to 5 percent of the estate value, depending on case complexity. The calculator defaults to 5 percent of estate value as a combined attorney plus executor plus admin estimate for non-statutory states. If you have a quote from the estate attorney, override the pre-filled estimate with your specific number.

Step 3: Multiply by your share of the estate

Your share is the percentage of the net estate that you will receive when probate closes. Common scenarios:

  • Sole heir or sole beneficiary: 100 percent.
  • Equal heirs (e.g., 4 children): 25 percent each.
  • Specific bequest in a will: divide the bequest amount by the net estate to get a percentage.
  • Intestate succession (no will): the state intestacy statute controls. Surviving spouses generally take half or all of the estate depending on which family members survived. See our California intestate succession guide for one state's rules.

Step 4: Apply the advance percentage based on probate stage

The advance percentage is a function of how long CSF has to wait to be repaid and how much case-specific risk remains. We use four buckets:

  • Just filed (no letters yet): 30 to 40 percent of your share. The petition is filed but the court has not appointed a personal representative. Will contests, creditor claims, and other delays are still possible.
  • Letters issued: 35 to 50 percent. The court has appointed the executor or administrator. The case is open and proceeding.
  • Inventory complete: 40 to 55 percent. Estate assets have been catalogued. The creditor claim window is running or closed.
  • Near distribution: 45 to 60 percent. Final accounting is filed or imminent. The court is days or weeks from ordering distribution.

What This Calculator Does Not Do

  • It does not produce a quote. The output is an estimated range based on industry-standard pricing. Your actual advance depends on case underwriting that CSF performs based on the petition, the will (if any), the inventory, and other case documents.
  • It does not account for case-specific risk factors. Will contests, creditor claims against the estate, tax liabilities, real estate sale contingencies, and similar factors can move the advance percentage outside the displayed range.
  • It does not check the validity of your standing as an heir. A probate advance requires that you be a confirmed beneficiary or intestate heir with a clear right to distribution. The calculator assumes that is the case.
  • It does not factor in outstanding debts beyond administration costs. The estate may owe substantial creditor claims, mortgages on estate real estate, or estate taxes that reduce the net distribution below what the calculator shows. CSF underwrites against documented case facts, not the calculator output.
  • It does not give legal or tax advice. Consult an estate attorney for advice about your specific case.

Related Pages

For the full framework on how probate works and how a probate advance fits into it, see our probate advances hub. For state-specific probate timelines and rules, see the California probate advance page (which covers the SB 1498 framework under Probate Code § 11604.5) or your state's page from the hub. For our framework on how CSF differs from probate loans and competitor probate advance companies, see the probate advance companies comparison. For the California intestate succession rules that determine your share in a no-will case, see our California intestate succession guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the probate advance calculator work?
The calculator takes your gross estate value, subtracts estimated administration costs (attorney fees, executor commission, filing fees), multiplies the net by your share of the estate, and then applies a 30 to 60 percent advance range based on the current stage of probate. Earlier stages skew toward the low end of the range because the underwriting window is longer and case-specific risk is higher; near-distribution stages skew toward the high end because probate is close to closing. The result is an estimate, not a quote. Your actual advance depends on case underwriting including the validity of the probate filing, your standing as an heir, outstanding creditor claims, and other factors specific to your case.
Why does the calculator subtract administration costs from the estate value?
Probate administration costs reduce the net estate available for distribution to heirs. Attorney fees, executor (personal representative) commission, filing fees, appraisal fees, publication costs, and accounting fees all come out of the estate before heirs receive their share. California and Florida have statutory fee schedules that fix attorney fees as a percentage of estate value (Cal. Probate Code § 10810 for California, Fla. Stat. § 733.6171 for Florida). Most other states use a reasonable-fee standard, where the attorney's compensation is negotiated and approved by the court. We default to roughly 5 percent of estate value for non-statutory states, which approximates typical combined attorney, executor, and admin costs in those jurisdictions. You can override the pre-filled estimate if you have a specific quote from the estate attorney.
What is my share of the estate?
Your share is the percentage of the net estate that you will receive when probate closes. If you are the sole heir or sole beneficiary, your share is 100 percent. If there are 4 equal heirs, each share is 25 percent. If the will gives you a specific dollar bequest, divide that dollar amount by the net estate to convert it to a percentage. If your inheritance comes from intestate succession (no will), the state's intestacy statute determines your share based on which family members survived the decedent. Surviving spouses generally take half or all of the estate depending on the state and whether there are surviving children. The estate attorney handling probate can confirm your exact share.
Why does the probate stage matter?
The stage of probate affects how long the buyer (CSF) waits to be repaid and how much underwriting risk is involved. At the just-filed stage, the personal representative has not been appointed, no inventory has been taken, and the case could face will contests or other delays. At the near-distribution stage, the final accounting has been filed and the court is days or weeks away from ordering distribution. The advance percentage moves with the risk. We typically advance 30 to 40 percent of an heir's share early in probate, scaling up to 45 to 60 percent near distribution. The calculator reflects this with a stage dropdown driving the advance percentage range.
Why is the advance not 100 percent of my share?
A probate advance is purchased at a discount to face value because the buyer (CSF) waits until probate closes to be repaid and bears the risk that the final distribution may be smaller than expected. The estate may face additional creditor claims, will contests, tax liabilities, or other adjustments that reduce the heir's actual distribution. Advancing 100 percent would leave the buyer fully exposed to those risks. The 30 to 60 percent advance range reflects industry-standard pricing for the underlying probate risk. A probate advance is not a loan: it never accrues interest, you are not personally liable to repay it if the estate ends up paying less than the advance, and CSF's recovery is limited to your distribution from the estate when probate closes.
Is a probate advance the same as a probate loan or inheritance loan?
No. A probate advance is a purchase of a portion of your future estate distribution, not a loan. It does not require a credit check, does not accrue interest, and you have no personal liability to repay it if the estate distribution falls short. CSF recovers solely from your share of the estate when probate closes; if your share is smaller than expected, CSF takes the loss. A probate loan, by contrast, is a credit product secured by your interest in the estate, with interest charges and personal liability. The terminology is often used loosely in the industry. CSF offers probate advances (purchases), not probate loans.
What is the cap on a probate advance from CSF?
CSF advances range from $5,000 to $250,000. Smaller estates with smaller heir shares may not support an advance large enough to be worth the underwriting cost; larger advances may be available case-by-case for high-value estates with strong documentation. If the calculator output is capped at $250,000, that means your calculated range would have been higher but we cap the display at the standard product ceiling. Call to discuss larger advances directly.
Which states have statutory fee schedules in the calculator?
Seven states have well-defined statutory schedules that the calculator applies precisely: California (Cal. Probate Code § 10810 attorney + § 10800 personal representative, both on the same percentage schedule), Florida (Fla. Stat. § 733.6171 attorney presumed reasonable + § 733.617 personal representative commission), Iowa (Iowa Code § 633.197 personal representative + § 633.198 attorney, capped at the same schedule), Wyoming (Wyo. Stat. § 2-7-803 personal representative + § 2-7-804 attorney, same schedule), Missouri (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.153 personal representative statutory; attorney fees are reasonable but court practice typically follows the same schedule), New York (SCPA § 2307 executor statutory; attorney fees are reasonable under SCPA § 2110 and estimated at 3 percent), and Oklahoma (Okla. Stat. tit. 58 § 527 personal representative; attorney fees reasonable under § 525, estimated at 3 percent). All other states use a 5 percent combined baseline that approximates the typical reasonable fee for attorney plus executor plus admin in non-statutory jurisdictions. The state dropdown labels show “(statutory fees)” for the seven states with precise schedules.
Why is the New York or Oklahoma estimate part statutory and part estimated?
In New York and Oklahoma, the executor or personal representative commission IS set by statute (SCPA § 2307 in New York; Okla. Stat. tit. 58 § 527 in Oklahoma), but attorney fees are not. Attorney fees in both states are awarded as “reasonable” compensation by the court, typically falling between 3 and 5 percent of estate value. The calculator stacks the statutory executor commission plus a 3 percent estimated attorney fee plus 1 percent miscellaneous administration costs. If you have a fee letter or fee quote from the estate attorney, override the pre-filled estimate with the actual number.

Talk to Our Probate Team

If your case is straightforward, we can move from initial call to funded in as little as 24 hours after we have the petition and supporting documents. No credit check, no monthly payments, repaid only from your estate distribution.

See How It Worksor call(800) 317-3769