{
  "slug": "estate-probate-fees",
  "title": "Probate Fee Calculator",
  "heading": "Probate Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/estate-probate-fees",
  "summary": "Statutory attorney and executor fees plus court costs on an estate.",
  "description": "Several states set probate compensation as a sliding percentage of the gross estate — and gross means before the mortgage. This applies a common statutory tier schedule and shows what a living trust would avoid.",
  "formula": "Statutory fee tiers: 4% of first $100k, 3% of next $100k, 2% of next $800k, 1% of next $9M.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=estate-probate-fees",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "gross",
      "label": "Gross estate value",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 850000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "debts",
      "label": "Mortgages and debts",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 320000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "court",
      "label": "Court + publication + appraiser",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1800,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "both",
      "label": "Who takes a statutory fee",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "both",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "both",
          "label": "Attorney and executor"
        },
        {
          "value": "attorney",
          "label": "Attorney only"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Estimated probate cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "statutory",
      "label": "Statutory fees",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "court",
      "label": "Court and administration costs",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "pctOfEquity",
      "label": "Share of net equity consumed",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Gross estate value: 850000 $",
      "Mortgages and debts: 320000 $",
      "Court + publication + appraiser: 1800 $",
      "Who takes a statutory fee: Attorney and executor"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Estimated probate cost: $41,800",
      "Statutory fees: $40,000",
      "Court and administration costs: $1,800",
      "Share of net equity consumed: 7.9%"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter gross estate value ($).",
      "Enter mortgages and debts ($).",
      "Enter court + publication + appraiser ($).",
      "Enter who takes a statutory fee.",
      "Read your estimated probate cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "gross": 510000,
        "debts": 190000,
        "court": 1100,
        "both": "both"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "gross": 850000,
        "debts": 320000,
        "court": 1800,
        "both": "both"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "gross": 1360000,
        "debts": 510000,
        "court": 2900,
        "both": "both"
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Why is the fee based on gross value?",
      "a": "Statutory schedules in states like California compute compensation on the inventory value without subtracting the mortgage, which is why heavily financed real estate produces outsized fees."
    },
    {
      "q": "How do people avoid probate?",
      "a": "Revocable living trusts, transfer-on-death deeds, and properly titled beneficiary designations move assets outside the probate estate. Setup cost is typically a fraction of the statutory fee."
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Probate Fee Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/estate-probate-fees)"
}