Executor fee calculator
Executor fees by state
State law decides how much an executor, also called the personal representative (the person the court puts in charge of the estate), can be paid. 22 states set the fee with a formula, usually a sliding percentage of the estate. Most others allow "reasonable compensation" that the court can review. Pick a state to see the figure.
Last updated
General information, not legal advice. Statutes change, and courts apply them to the facts of each estate. Check with the probate court or a probate attorney before you rely on a figure or a date.
States that set executor fees by formula
These 22 states write a percentage or rate into the statute. The Type column tells you whether that figure is the fee itself, a starting point the court presumes is fair, a cap or a minimum.
| State | How it works | Type | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Property received and controlled: Up to 2.5%; Disbursements: Up to 2.5% | Maximum allowed | Ala. Code § 43-2-848 |
| Arkansas | First $1,000: 10%; $1,000 to $5,000: 5%; Above $5,000: 3% | Maximum allowed | Ark. Code Ann. § 28-48-108 |
| California | First $100,000: 4%; $100,000 to $200,000: 3%; $200,000 to $1,000,000: 2%; $1,000,000 to $10,000,000: 1%; $10,000,000 to $25,000,000: 0.5% | Set by law | Cal. Prob. Code §§ 10800–10805 |
| Florida | First $1,000,000: 3%; $1,000,000 to $5,000,000: 2.5%; $5,000,000 to $10,000,000: 2%; Above $10,000,000: 1.5% | Presumed reasonable | Fla. Stat. § 733.617 |
| Georgia | Money received: 2.5%; Money paid out: 2.5%; Property delivered in kind: Up to 3% | Set by law | O.C.G.A. § 53-6-60 |
| Iowa | First $1,000: 6%; $1,000 to $5,000: 4%; Above $5,000: 2% | Maximum allowed | Iowa Code § 633.197 |
| Kentucky | Personal estate: Up to 5%; Income collected: Up to 5% | Maximum allowed | KRS 395.150 |
| Louisiana | Amount of the inventory: 2.5% | Set by law | La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 3351–3352 |
| Maryland | First $20,000: 9%; Above $20,000: 3.6% | Maximum allowed | Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-601 |
| Missouri | First $5,000: 5%; $5,000 to $25,000: 4%; $25,000 to $100,000: 3%; $100,000 to $400,000: 2.75%; $400,000 to $1,000,000: 2.5%; Above $1,000,000: 2% | Minimum by law | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.153 |
| Nevada | First $15,000: 4%; $15,000 to $100,000: 3%; Above $100,000: 2% | Set by law | NRS 150.020 |
| New Jersey | First $200,000: 5%; $200,000 to $1,000,000: 3.5%; Above $1,000,000: 2%; Income received: 6%; Each additional executor: 1% of corpus | Set by law | N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14 |
| New York | First $100,000: 5%; $100,000 to $300,000: 4%; $300,000 to $1,000,000: 3%; $1,000,000 to $5,000,000: 2.5%; Above $5,000,000: 2% | Set by law | N.Y. SCPA § 2307 |
| North Carolina | Receipts: Up to 5%; Expenditures: Up to 5% | Maximum allowed | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-23-3 |
| Ohio | First $100,000: 4%; $100,000 to $400,000: 3%; Above $400,000: 2%; Real property not sold: 1% | Set by law | Ohio Rev. Code § 2113.35 |
| Oklahoma | First $1,000: 5%; $1,000 to $6,000: 4%; Above $6,000: 2.5% | Set by law | Okla. Stat. tit. 58, § 527 |
| Oregon | First $1,000: 7%; $1,000 to $10,000: 4%; $10,000 to $50,000: 3%; Above $50,000: 2%; Non-probate property reportable for estate tax: 1% | Set by law | ORS 116.173 |
| South Carolina | Personal property plus authorized real-estate sale proceeds: Up to 5%; Income earned by the estate: Up to 5%; Minimum commission: $50 | Maximum allowed | S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-719 |
| Texas | Cash actually received and paid out: 5%; Cap: 5% of gross fair market value | Set by law | Tex. Est. Code §§ 352.002–352.004 |
| West Virginia | First $100,000: 5%; $100,000 to $400,000: 4%; $400,000 to $800,000: 3%; Above $800,000: 2%; Real estate not sold: 1% | Set by law | W. Va. Code § 44-4-12a |
| Wisconsin | Inventory value less liens, plus net gains: 2% | Set by law | Wis. Stat. § 857.05 |
| Wyoming | First $1,000: 10%; $1,000 to $5,000: 5%; $5,000 to $20,000: 3%; Above $20,000: 2% | Set by law | Wyo. Stat. §§ 2-7-803, 2-7-804 |
Which states use “reasonable compensation”?
These states don't set a percentage. The personal representative gets reasonable pay for the work, and heirs or other interested people can ask the court to review it.
- Alaska — Alaska Stat. § 13.16.430
- Arizona — A.R.S. § 14-3719
- Delaware — 12 Del. C. § 2305
- Hawaii — Haw. Rev. Stat. § 560:3-719
- Idaho — Idaho Code § 15-3-719
- Illinois — 755 ILCS 5/27-1
- Indiana — Ind. Code § 29-1-10-13
- Maine — 18-C M.R.S. § 3-719
- Massachusetts — M.G.L. c. 190B, § 3-719
- Michigan — MCL 700.3719
- Minnesota — Minn. Stat. § 524.3-719
- Montana — Mont. Code Ann. § 72-3-631
- Nebraska — Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2480
- New Mexico — NMSA 1978, § 45-3-719
- North Dakota — N.D. Cent. Code § 30.1-18-19
- South Dakota — S.D. Codified Laws § 29A-3-719
- Utah — Utah Code § 75-3-718
- Washington — RCW 11.48.210
We haven't reviewed these states yet: Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia. We add a state only after reading its statute.
Common questions
How much does an executor get paid?
It depends on the state. 22 states set the fee by a formula in the statute, usually a sliding percentage of the estate's value. California, for example, pays 4% of the first $100,000 (Cal. Prob. Code § 10800). Most other states allow "reasonable compensation", which the court can review. A will can also set the executor's pay.
Can an executor waive the fee?
Yes, in many states the statute says so outright. Georgia, South Carolina and the states that use the Uniform Probate Code wording (Arizona, Idaho, Minnesota and Montana, for example) let the personal representative turn down all or part of the fee. Wyoming requires the waiver in writing.
Does the fee formula cover extra work?
No. The formulas cover the usual duties. Most of these statutes let the court award more for extraordinary work, such as selling real estate, a lawsuit, tax proceedings or running the business of the person who died.
Sources
- Ala. Code § 43-2-848 — Alabama Legislature (ALISON)
- Ark. Code Ann. § 28-48-108 — Arkansas Code Annotated (official public access)
- Cal. Prob. Code §§ 10800–10805 — California Legislative Counsel
- Cal. Prob. Code § 10810 — California Legislative Counsel
- Fla. Stat. § 733.617 — Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine)
- O.C.G.A. § 53-6-60 — Official Code of Georgia Annotated (official public access)
- Iowa Code § 633.197 — Iowa Legislature
- KRS 395.150 — Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
- La. Code Civ. Proc. arts. 3351–3352 — Louisiana State Legislature
- Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-601 — Maryland General Assembly
- Md. Code, Est. & Trusts § 7-604 — Maryland General Assembly
- Mo. Rev. Stat. § 473.153 — Missouri Revisor of Statutes
- NRS 150.020 — Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau
- N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14 — New Jersey Legislature
- N.J.S.A. 3B:18-13 — New Jersey Legislature
- N.Y. SCPA § 2307 — New York State Legislature
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-23-3 — North Carolina General Assembly
- Ohio Rev. Code § 2113.35 — Ohio Legislative Service Commission
- Okla. Stat. tit. 58, § 527 — Oklahoma Legislature
- ORS 116.173 — Oregon Legislative Counsel
- S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-719 — South Carolina Legislative Services Agency
- Tex. Est. Code §§ 352.002–352.004 — Texas Legislative Council
- W. Va. Code § 44-4-12a — West Virginia Legislature
- Wis. Stat. § 857.05 — Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau
- Wyo. Stat. §§ 2-7-803, 2-7-804 — Wyoming Legislative Service Office
We last checked the statute text against the official publishers in August 2026.