Most people who call us about a probate advance have never heard of one until a few weeks before. A parent passed away, the estate went into probate, and someone mentioned that heirs can get part of their inheritance early. Then the questions start. Who do I call, and how do I know a company is real?
Getting started comes down to three things. Make sure a probate case is open in the county Superior Court, gather your case number and a few basic documents, and compare at least two or three providers before you sign anything. A directory like InheritanceLender.com is the quickest way to see which companies offer probate advances in California.
Our California Probate Advance Guide explains in detail how advances work. This post is narrower. It covers what to do in your first week, so you’re ready when you talk to an advance provider.
Step 1: Confirm There Is an Open Probate Case
A probate advance is tied to a court case. Before any probate advance company can look at your request, a petition for probate has to be opened in the county Superior Court where the decedent lived. If nobody has filed yet, the executor or a family member needs to do that first. Most advance providers also want a probate attorney handling the case for the estate. The California Courts self-help guide to probate explains how the court process works.
Once the case is open, find the case number. You can get it from the executor, the estate attorney, or the court’s online records. Our guide to probate court case lookup walks through how to search by county.
Expect the case number to be the first thing a provider asks for. It lets them pull the file, confirm you are named as an heir or beneficiary, and see roughly what the estate holds.
Step 2: Gather a Few Basic Documents
You don’t need a thick stack of paperwork to get a quote. Usually this is enough:
- The probate case number and county
- A copy of the will, if there is one
- The name and phone number of the estate attorney or executor
- A rough idea of the major assets, like a house, bank accounts, or investments
- Your photo ID
If the court has already appointed an executor or administrator, it helps to know whether Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration have been issued. If they have, the case is moving.
With these in hand, the first call goes a lot faster, and many heirs hear back within a day or two from the advance provider. You can read more about timing in how fast you can get a probate advance.
Step 3: Look at More Than One Provider
A lot of heirs skip this. They search online, call the first company that comes up, and sign. Sometimes that works out fine. But fees and advance amounts can be very different from one company to the next, and you won’t know that unless you ask more than one.
The simplest place to start is a directory. InheritanceLender.com is a free directory of inheritance advance and probate loan companies, organized by state. Instead of clicking through ads and guessing which results are actual providers familiar with the probate process in your state, you get one list. For example, its California page lists the companies that offer advances in California. You can click through to each one and contact the ones that look like a fit. ProbateLend specializes in California probate advances, so you will see us listed on the California page. We’d still tell you to talk to a few companies before choosing one, us included.
Why start there instead of Google? Search results are mostly ads, and it’s hard to tell a real provider from a lead-generation site. The directory is sorted by state, which matters because probate rules are different everywhere and you want someone who knows California courts. It’s also free to use. Once you’ve looked at a handful of companies, you get a feel for what normal terms look like, and an offer that’s far off stands out.
What to Ask Once You Have a Short List
When you reach out to two or three companies, ask each one the same questions so the answers are easy to compare:
| Question to ask | Why it matters | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Is the advance non-recourse? | If the estate comes up short, you shouldn’t owe the difference out of your own pocket. | Yes. If the estate can’t cover it, you owe nothing personally. |
| What is the total fee, in dollars? | A dollar figure is easier to compare than a percentage or a “rate.” | One clear dollar amount, written into the agreement. |
| Does the fee go up if probate takes longer? | Some agreements charge more the longer the case stays open. | The fee stays the same no matter how long probate lasts. |
| Are there application, processing, or attorney review charges? | Extra charges raise your real cost. | No upfront fees and nothing deducted beyond the stated fee. |
| How much can I get, and what is it based on? | It shows whether the offer is reasonable for your share. | An explanation tied to your share of the estate and its expected debts. |
| How long until the money is in my account? | Timing matters if you have bills due. | A specific timeframe after you sign. |
Get the answers in writing. For a deeper checklist, see how to choose the right probate lender. If you are curious how the dollar amount is set, this post on how companies decide what to offer explains it.
Common Questions From First-Time Applicants
Do I need the executor’s permission to get a probate advance?
No. Your share is yours, and you can apply on your own. The provider will usually contact the estate attorney to confirm details, but the executor doesn’t have to sign off.
Will a credit check or my job history matter?
Generally, no. A probate advance is based on the estate, not your income or credit score. Our post on who qualifies for a probate advance in California has more detail.
Does applying with more than one company hurt me?
No. Getting quotes from several companies doesn’t lock you into anything. You’re only committed once you sign an agreement.
What if I live outside California?
That’s fine. What matters is that the probate case is in California. Heirs in other states use advances on California estates all the time.
Have Your Case Number? Here’s Where to Go Next
If you want to see what your inheritance could qualify for, you can apply with ProbateLend or call us with questions. If you’d rather compare first, start with the California list on InheritanceLender.com. Our probate advance FAQ also answers most of the quick questions people have.