Location: Los Angeles California
A cousin of my father died who was never married, had no kids, left it all to a brother who is now dead and has no other siblings. Will says all to his brother if alive and if not the state will handle. Got a letter from a probate research place, but they want an exorbitant amount. Quite a few cousins all got the same letter so this estate would be divided amongst many most likely.
Question: Assuming he needs a probate attorney for this? His estate was valued at the value of his Los Angeles property plus bank accounts. Valued under a million.
If an attorney is required, do they ever do this type of work agreeing to a cut of the pay? Just hesitant about paying an attorney and then finding out that nothing goes to my dad. My dad lives humbly so he can’t afford to drop a bunch of cash with a risk of losing it. He wants to pay the probate research company but I’m trying to help him explore other routes.