Probate Cost Calculator — All
50 States

Probate costs typically range from 3% to 8% of the estate's gross value, depending on the state. This includes attorney fees, executor commissions, court filing fees, and appraisal costs. Some states set attorney fees by statute (a fixed percentage), while others allow 'reasonable compensation.' A $500,000 estate might incur $15,000–$40,000 in total probate costs.

Yes. Families often use both phrases when they are trying to estimate the same cost stack: court filing fees, executor compensation, probate attorney fees, appraisal costs, publication costs, and other estate-administration expenses. This probate fee calculator separates those categories where state data supports it so you can see which costs are statutory, which are court-controlled, and which depend on local practice.

Yes. Use it as a probate attorney fee calculator for state-level estimates, but do not treat the output as a legal bill or fee quote. Some states use statutory percentage schedules, some use court approval, and others apply reasonable-compensation standards. The calculator follows the available state data and flags attorney-fee treatment by jurisdiction.

Probate timelines range from 4–6 months in simple estates to 2+ years for contested or complex cases. Most states require a minimum creditor notice period of 3–6 months. States like Texas and Florida can complete straightforward probate in under a year, while California's court system often takes 12–18 months.

Yes. Common probate-avoidance strategies include revocable living trusts, joint tenancy with right of survivorship, beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance, payable-on-death (POD) bank accounts, and transfer-on-death (TOD) deeds for real estate. Assets passing outside probate transfer directly to beneficiaries without court involvement.

Assets that go through probate include property owned solely in the deceased's name without a beneficiary designation — such as real estate in their name only, bank accounts without a POD designation, vehicles, and personal property. Assets that skip probate include jointly-owned property, life insurance with named beneficiaries, retirement accounts (401k, IRA), and assets in a living trust.

Probate costs are paid from estate assets before distribution to heirs. If the estate is insolvent, creditors have priority over beneficiaries. Executor fees and attorney fees are typically paid as the estate is administered rather than all at once. Beneficiaries receive what remains after all debts and costs are satisfied.