If you need to wrap up the affairs of a deceased family member or friend in California, you can save attorney fees by handling the probate process yourself. How to Probate an Estate in California supplies all the instructions, explanations and support you need. You may even be able to handle the whole process by mail, without setting foot in the courthouse. Learn how to: *read a will *determine who inherits property if there is no will *handle probate paperwork *collect life insurance and other benefits *pay bills and taxes *distribute property left through trusts The 14th edition is completely revised to provide the latest estate tax laws, and discusses changes in the rules on how IRA beneficiaries can withdraw money. It also covers the inheritance rights of registered domestic partners (as of July 1, 2003), and how to transfer survivorship community property to the surviving spouse.