Common Questions
Clear answers to help you understand estate administration
California Probate Disclaimer: For California Probate (Decedent Estate) matters, ordinary compensation is governed by Probate Code § 10800 and is based on a statutory percentage of the estate’s value. Flat-fee pricing applies to Trust Administration and Extraordinary Services in Probate as defined by California Rules of Court 7.703.
How We Handle Taxes for Your Estate
Tax preparation is one of the most important — and most misunderstood — parts of estate administration.
Why We Partner with a Top-50 CPA Firm
Brown Management partners with BPM CPA — a nationally ranked, Top-50 accounting firm — to prepare all estate and trust tax returns. This is not about convenience. It is about protecting your inheritance.
Under California law, a fiduciary has a duty to hire qualified specialists when the task requires it. Tax preparation for estates and trusts is complex, high-stakes work. Hiring an institutional-grade CPA firm is what a prudent fiduciary does — and it protects your family from costly errors.
What BPM Does
- • Prepares the estate/trust tax return (Form 1041)
- • Prepares the decedent’s final personal return (Form 1040)
- • Handles all IRS and FTB correspondence
What Brown Management Does
- • Designs the tax strategy for the estate
- • Reviews every return before filing
- • Bears fiduciary responsibility for the outcome
What This Means for Your Family
You get institutional-grade tax preparation at a fraction of what it would cost to hire a Top-50 firm directly. BPM’s preparation fee (~$1,500) is paid as a direct estate expense — not a Brown Management fee. Our oversight fee ($900) ensures every return is reviewed, correct, and filed on time.