Probate Cost Estimator
Estimate the total cost of probating an estate including court filing fees, attorney fees, executor compensation, appraisal fees, and miscellaneous expenses. Results are estimates only and vary by state and complexity.
Formulas Used
Total Probate Cost = Court Filing Fee + Attorney Fee + Executor Fee + Bond Premium + Appraisal Fee + Accounting Fee + Miscellaneous Fees
Court Filing Fees: State-specific tiered schedules (e.g., CA Probate Code §70670, FL §28.241, NY SCPA §2402, PA 0.35% of estate).
Statutory Attorney Fees (CA – Probate Code §10810):
4% of first $100,000 + 3% of next $100,000 + 2% of next $700,000 + 1% of next $9,100,000 + 0.5% above $10,000,000
Statutory Attorney Fees (FL – §733.6171):
3% of first $1,000,000 + 2.5% of next $2,000,000 + 2% above $3,000,000
Statutory Attorney Fees (NY – SCPA §2307-a):
5% of first $100,000 + 4% of next $200,000 + 3% of next $700,000 + 2.5% of next $4,000,000 + 2% above $5,000,000
Executor Fees: Same statutory schedules as attorney fees per state law (CA §10800, FL §733.617, NY SCPA §2307). Professional executors: ×1.5 multiplier.
Surety Bond Premium: max($250, Estate Value × 0.7%)
Appraisal Fee: Number of Properties × $550 (average per property)
Accounting Fee: max($500, Estate Value × 0.4%)
Miscellaneous: Base ($500–$2,500 by complexity) + Estate Value × 0.1%
Complexity Multiplier applied to statutory attorney and executor fees: Simple = 0.75×, Moderate = 1.0×, Complex = 1.5×
% of Estate: Total Cost ÷ Gross Estate Value × 100
Assumptions & References
- Estimates are based on gross estate value (total assets before debts/liabilities).
- California statutory fees: Probate Code §§10800, 10810 (attorney & executor same schedule).
- Florida statutory fees: F.S. §§733.617, 733.6171 (personal representative & attorney).
- New York executor commissions: SCPA §2307; attorney fees: SCPA §2307-a.
- Pennsylvania Register of Wills fee: approximately 0.35% of estate value (county-dependent).
- Texas, Illinois, Ohio fees are approximate averages; actual fees vary by county.
- Surety bond premium estimated at 0.7% of estate value annually; many wills waive bond requirements.
- Real property appraisal cost estimated at $550 per property (national average 2024).
- Attorney hourly rates vary widely by region ($150–$600+/hr); default assumption $300/hr.
- Probate duration assumed approximately 9–18 months for moderate complexity estates.
- Federal estate tax (applicable above $13.61M in 2024) and state inheritance taxes are NOT included.
- Non-probate assets (joint tenancy, beneficiary designations, trusts) are excluded from this estimate.
- This tool provides estimates only. Consult a licensed probate attorney for legal advice.
- Sources: Uniform Probate Code, state-specific probate codes, ACTEC, American Bar Association.