Are there discounted Probate fees for estates with no assets?

If you talk to enough attorneys you might find one that would take your case for a discount. However, will they be experienced?  Will you really save money in the long run? Since you have already seen what can happen if you do probate without an experienced probate attorney I would encourage you to find an experienced probate attorney. For example, look for someone who is a certified specialist in estate law. There are simply too many pitfalls that can come to you. Failure to file things properly can lead to delays as you have already learned. Failure to file some things (like a parent to child exclusion form) can lead to increased taxes for you. I know some of us will front costs in some cases and get paid at the end. In some rare cases we will even accept a promissory note to get paid back our fees and costs in the future. However, you would need to talk to an attorney about the details of your case. I do probate work throughout California if you want to chat about your case with me.  -John