Probate Cost Calculator

Settling an estate carries costs that are easy to misjudge, and this tool gives executors and beneficiaries an early read on attorney fees, executor fees, court charges and how long the whole process is likely to take. Having those numbers in hand makes it easier to plan finances during a difficult stretch. The goal is to pull back the curtain on a process that often feels deliberately opaque.

Only a few states set these fees by law, and the calculator follows each statute it can: California's schedule, which gives the attorney (Probate Code §10810) and the executor (§10800) each 4% of the first $100,000, 3% of the next $100,000, 2% of the next $800,000 and 1% of the next $9 million; Florida's attorney schedule in §733.6171(3); and the executor commissions New York, Ohio and New Jersey set by statute. Where a state leaves the fee to what a court finds reasonable, the calculator names that rule instead of inventing a percentage. Court filing fees are flat: $435 for a first petition in California in 2026 and $395 for formal administration in Florida. Timeline estimates follow typical probate court processing, which commonly stretches from 6 months to 2 years.

One thing people frequently get wrong is the value of non-probate assets, which skip probate itself yet can still trigger estate taxes or administrative expenses. It is also worth weighing alternatives such as a revocable living trust, which can sidestep probate altogether and save considerable time and money. For decisions that affect a specific estate, a qualified estate planning attorney remains the right source of advice.