How much does probate cost? Estimate total probate expenses — attorney fees, court filing fees, executor fees, appraisals, publication notices, and accounting — based on estate value with this free legal cost estimator.
The court filing fee is selected automatically from the estate value tier: under $50,000 → $250; $50,000–$150,000 → $400; $150,000–$500,000 → $600; over $500,000 → $1,000.
Probate attorneys commonly bill $200–$500 per hour. A simple estate might take 10–30 hours; a complex or contested one can take 100+. Include appraisal, publication, and accounting costs under other fixed costs.
Inputs: Estate value $500,000, attorney fee 3%, executor fee ON (2%), appraisal $750, publication $150, accounting/other $500.
Calculation: Attorney fee = $500,000 × 3% = $15,000.00. Court filing fee = $600.00 (tier $150,000–$500,000). Executor fee = $500,000 × 2% = $10,000.00. Appraisal $750.00, publication $150.00, other $500.00.
Total = $15,000.00 + $600.00 + $10,000.00 + $750.00 + $150.00 + $500.00 = $27,000.00. Percent of estate = $27,000.00 ÷ $500,000 × 100 = 5.40%.
Inputs: Estate value $80,000, attorney fee 3%, executor fee OFF, appraisal $750, publication $150, accounting/other $500.
Calculation: Attorney fee = $80,000 × 3% = $2,400.00. Court filing fee = $400.00 (tier $50,000–$150,000). Executor fee = $0.00 (disabled). Appraisal $750.00, publication $150.00, other $500.00.
Total = $2,400.00 + $400.00 + $0.00 + $750.00 + $150.00 + $500.00 = $4,200.00. Percent of estate = $4,200.00 ÷ $80,000 × 100 = 5.25%.
Inputs: Attorney hours 20, hourly rate $350, court fee $600, other fixed costs $650.
Calculation: Attorney cost = 20 × $350 = $7,000.00. Total = $7,000.00 + $600.00 + $650.00 = $8,250.00.
Note: These examples use typical national figures. Actual costs depend on your state's fee schedules, the attorney you hire, and the complexity of the estate — use your own quotes for the most accurate result.
Court fee tiers: Under $50,000 → $250 · $50,000–$150,000 → $400 · $150,000–$500,000 → $600 · Over $500,000 → $1,000
Typical values: Attorney fee 2%–5% of estate · Hourly rate $200–$500 · Executor fee 1%–5% (2% default) · Appraisal $300–$1,500 · Publication $50–$300 · Accounting $200–$1,000
National average: Probate typically costs 3%–7% of an estate's value, with attorney fees being the largest line item.
Use Estate Value Based if your attorney charges a percentage of the estate (2%–5% is common) or you want a quick planning estimate. Use Hourly Attorney if you have a quote with an hourly rate and estimated hours.
Check your county probate court's fee schedule, ask attorneys whether they charge a percentage, flat fee, or hourly rate, and confirm whether the executor will claim a statutory fee. Toggle the executor fee off if the executor plans to serve without compensation.
The total adds every expense, and the percentage-of-estate view tells you whether your estimate falls in the typical 3%–7% range. The step-by-step list shows which items drive your cost — usually attorney fees.
The Estate Value Based mode starts with your estate's total value and applies an attorney fee percentage — 3% is the default, though 2%–5% is common. It then adds a tiered court filing fee based on the estate's value, an optional executor fee of 2%, and flat costs for appraisal ($750), publication notice ($150), and accounting or other expenses ($500). For a $500,000 estate with the executor fee enabled, that works out to $27,000 — 5.40% of the estate.
The Hourly Attorney mode is for attorneys who bill by the hour rather than by percentage: multiply estimated hours by the hourly rate, then add court fees and other fixed costs. A simple estate might need only 10–30 hours of attorney time, while a complex estate with real estate, businesses, or disputes can require 100 hours or more.
Attorney and executor fees are percentages of the estate, so the larger the estate, the larger the dollar cost — even if the percentage stays the same.
Filing fees jump from $250 to $1,000 as the estate crosses $50,000, $150,000, and $500,000 thresholds. The calculator picks the tier automatically.
Executors can waive compensation, and many family members do. Toggle the 2% executor fee off to see how much that saves.
Appraisal, publication, and accounting fees are fixed regardless of estate size — they matter most as a share of cost on smaller estates.
Your state's fee rules. Probate is governed by state law, and both court filing fees and statutory executor compensation vary widely. Some states set executor fees on a sliding percentage scale; others leave it to the executor's discretion. This calculator uses a flat 2% default that you can adjust or disable.
How your attorney bills. Percentage-based attorneys charge 2%–5% of the estate — simple to estimate but potentially expensive on large estates. Hourly attorneys at $200–$500 per hour can be cheaper on simple estates but unpredictable if complications arise. Flat fees are also available in some states for straightforward cases.
Estate complexity. Real estate triggers appraisals and often title work, businesses need valuation, and disputes among heirs or challenges to the will multiply attorney hours. Contested probate proceedings are one of the biggest cost drivers.
Your county probate court publishes filing fees and often statutory executor fee guidelines. Use those real numbers instead of the defaults.
Ask attorneys for both a percentage quote and an hourly estimate. On a large estate, an hourly arrangement can cost far less than 3%.
Real estate, businesses, and collectibles require appraisals and sometimes professional valuations at $300–$1,500+ per asset.
Will contests and heir disputes add hearing fees, extra attorney hours, and sometimes litigation — often doubling or tripling total costs.
Plan to avoid probate entirely. Assets held in a revocable living trust, owned jointly with rights of survivorship, or passed through payable-on-death accounts and beneficiary designations skip probate completely. This is the single most effective way to eliminate probate costs for your heirs.
Use small estate procedures where available. Most states offer simplified probate or summary administration for estates under a threshold — commonly $50,000 to $184,000 — which reduces court fees and attorney time dramatically. Some estates qualify for an affidavit process with no court appearance at all.
Shop around and keep records. Attorney fees for identical estates can vary by thousands of dollars, so get written quotes from two or three probate attorneys. Keep organized records of assets, debts, and beneficiaries to reduce the hours your attorney needs.
Assets in a trust bypass probate, saving heirs roughly 3%–7% of the estate's value and months of court proceedings.
Retirement accounts, life insurance, and bank accounts with named beneficiaries or payable-on-death designations avoid probate automatically.
If the estate falls below your state's threshold, simplified procedures or an affidavit can cut costs to a few hundred dollars.
Compare percentage, flat, and hourly quotes from multiple probate attorneys — fee structures vary far more than most people expect.
⚠️ Important Note: This calculator provides estimates for general information only. Actual amounts vary by jurisdiction, provider, and individual circumstances. Consult a qualified professional (attorney, accountant, or licensed advisor) for advice specific to your situation.
Before you commit, gather real numbers — your county probate court's fee schedule, written quotes from two or three attorneys, and appraisal or accounting estimates. Real figures beat national averages every time.