Last verified 2026-10-24; facts checked against the primary sources below
Who can settle an estate for my family? Estate settlement services compared
Last verified: October 24, 2026
The short answer: Yes. Three kinds of help exist. A done-for-you service, such as Alix (United States) or The Estate Desk (California estates only today), does most of the work while you stay the executor. A self-serve platform, such as Atticus ($499, with plans from $175, in the United States and Canada), gives you step-by-step guidance and experts to ask while you do the work. A probate lawyer handles the court case; in California the lawyer's ordinary fee is set by law at $23,000 on a $1,000,000 estate (Probate Code § 10810).
Whichever you pick, you keep the executor's legal role. Atticus says it cannot serve as executor, and Alix says you remain the executor (Atticus FAQ; Alix).
This page is published by The Estate Desk, which is one of the services compared. Every fact about another service comes from that service's own website on October 24, 2026. Where a service does not publish a price, the table says so.
How do the services compare?
| Service | What it does | Done-for-you or self-serve | Where it works | Price, from its own site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alix | A dedicated Settlement Specialist handles paperwork, calls, accounts, property, creditors, taxes, and distributions, with attorneys and CPAs from its network (Alix) | Done-for-you. You stay the executor and decision-maker (Alix) | United States. Its terms say the site and app are for use in the US (Alix terms) | Not published. Its site describes one fee that comes from the estate (Alix) |
| Atticus | Step-by-step guidance, an asset inventory, probate forms, and live Estate Experts for questions (Atticus) | Self-serve with expert support. Users represent themselves (Atticus FAQ) | United States and Canada (Atticus) | $499, with plans starting at $175. Can be paid or reimbursed by the estate (Atticus) |
| Empathy | A personalized Care Plan, a 24/7 human Care Team, document storage, and grief support (Empathy) | Guided self-serve with a care team | Not stated by state. Offered through life insurers, employers, and financial firms (Empathy) | Not published. Direct use may require a paid subscription (Empathy terms) |
| Probate lawyer | Represents the personal representative in the court case and does the legal work | Done-for-you legal work | The state where the lawyer is licensed | California: set by statute, for example $13,000 on a $500,000 estate (§ 10810). Other states: set by the lawyer's agreement and that state's rules |
| The Estate Desk: Estate Roadmap | An estate map in 48 hours, a month-by-month plan, drafted letters and court forms, and attorney review of court documents (pricing) | Self-serve. You carry out the plan | California estates only today | $1,500 flat (pricing) |
| The Estate Desk: Full Settlement | Everything in the Roadmap, plus institution and court tracking, a weekly family update, and one point of contact through distribution (pricing) | Done-for-you. You sign what only the executor can sign | California estates only today | $4,500 flat; $6,500 with real property (pricing) |
The Estate Desk refunds its fee if the service is not right in the first 30 days (The Estate Desk). Its fees do not include court fees, publication, bonds, appraisals, property vendors, tax work, or extraordinary legal services (pricing).
Third-party comparison sites report prices for Alix and Empathy. This page does not repeat them because neither company publishes a price on its own site. Ask each service for a written quote.
Is any service available in every state?
Some are. The Estate Desk's full service covers California estates only today. Atticus says it is available across the United States and Canada (Atticus). Alix's terms limit its site and app to the United States, and its site does not list states (Alix terms). Empathy's site does not list states. Ask Alix and Empathy to confirm they serve the estate's state.
| If the estate is in | Done-for-you options on this page | Self-serve options on this page |
|---|---|---|
| California | Alix, The Estate Desk Full Settlement, a California probate lawyer | Atticus, Empathy if your insurer or employer offers it, The Estate Desk Roadmap |
| Any other US state | Alix (confirm your state), a probate lawyer licensed in that state | Atticus, Empathy if your insurer or employer offers it |
| Canada | A lawyer in that province | Atticus |
If the person who died owned a house in a second state, ask each service whether it covers that state too.
Who does each option fit?
| Option | Fits a family that | May not fit a family that |
|---|---|---|
| Alix | Wants the day-to-day work done in any state, and wants attorneys and CPAs brought in by one team | Wants to know the price before the first conversation |
| Atticus | Has time to do the work and wants a guided plan, forms, and someone to ask | Has no time for the calls, forms, and follow-up |
| Empathy | Received access through a life insurer, an employer, or a bank, and wants a plan and support for the grief as well as the tasks | Has no access through a partner and needs the work done for them |
| Probate lawyer | Faces a contested will, a family dispute, creditor claims, or a court case that needs legal judgment | Has a simple estate and mainly needs logistics and paperwork handled |
| The Estate Desk Roadmap | Has a California estate and wants a written plan and drafted documents to carry out themselves | Has an estate outside California |
| The Estate Desk Full Settlement | Has a California estate and wants one team to run it from the first account to distribution for a flat fee | Has an estate outside California, or needs legal representation in a dispute |
Atticus and Alix both say they are not law firms and do not give legal advice (Atticus FAQ; Alix terms). The Estate Desk is not a law firm either. It provides administrative and logistical support, and independent licensed attorneys provide legal services when needed (pricing). If a dispute or a lawsuit is possible, talk to a probate lawyer.
What does a probate lawyer cost in California?
California sets the attorney's ordinary fee as a percentage of the estate accounted for in probate (Probate Code § 10810):
| Part of the estate | Rate |
|---|---|
| First $100,000 | 4% |
| Next $100,000 | 3% |
| Next $800,000 | 2% |
| Next $9,000,000 | 1% |
| Next $15,000,000 | 0.5% |
| Above $25,000,000 | A reasonable amount set by the court |
| Estate value | Attorney's ordinary fee |
|---|---|
| $500,000 | $13,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $23,000 |
| $2,000,000 | $33,000 |
The value is the inventory appraisal plus gains on sales and receipts, less losses on sales, without subtracting mortgages or other debts on the property (§ 10810(b)). A $1,000,000 house with a $600,000 mortgage still counts as $1,000,000.
The executor can also be paid on the same scale. See California probate fees or run the numbers in the probate fee calculator.
What should you ask any service before you hire it?
- What is the total price, in writing? Ask what is included and what is billed separately, such as court fees, appraisals, and tax returns.
- Who pays, and when? Some fees can be paid or reimbursed by the estate (Atticus; Alix). Ask whether you pay first.
- Does it work in the estate's state? Ask about a house in a second state too.
- Who does the work? Ask whether a person makes the calls and files the paperwork, or whether you do with guidance.
- Who gives legal advice? Ask whether a licensed attorney is involved and who that attorney represents.
- What happens if it is not working? Ask about refunds and how to leave.
Frequently asked questions
Can a company be the executor instead of me?
Not these services. Atticus says it cannot legally serve as an executor (Atticus FAQ). Alix and The Estate Desk do the work while you remain the executor. A will can name a bank or trust company as executor, and a court can appoint one. That is a different arrangement from the services on this page.
Can the estate pay for the service?
Often. Atticus says its fee can be paid or reimbursed by the estate as a settlement expense (Atticus), and Alix says its fee comes from the estate (Alix). Keep receipts for anything you pay yourself.
Do I still need a lawyer if I use a service?
Sometimes. A contested will, a family dispute, or a creditor lawsuit needs a lawyer. Some services include attorney involvement: Alix includes a licensed attorney from its network in its fee (Alix), and The Estate Desk's Roadmap includes attorney review of court documents (pricing).
This is general information, not legal advice. Prices and coverage change. Confirm both with each service before you sign anything.
The Estate Desk helps families settle estates. theestatedesk.com
Primary sources
- https://www.weareatticus.com/for-families
- https://www.weareatticus.com/faqs
- https://www.empathy.com/platform/bereavement-care
- https://www.empathy.com/legal/terms
- https://www.meetalix.com/
- https://www.meetalix.com/how-we-help
- https://www.meetalix.com/terms-of-service
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=PROB§ionNum=10810
- https://theestatedesk.com/pricing/
- https://theestatedesk.com/