Fees for probate attorney

[soulslayer]

What is the name of your state? VA

I have secured a probate attorney to handle my fathers estate. What I would like to know is a ballpark amount that I can expect to be charged by the attorney. Is there a ballpark on this amount, or is it case by case? What's an average amount so I'll know what to plan for?

 

[Dandy Don]

Is he serving as official executor or not? What type of fee agreement did you sign with him? You need to be interviewing with more than one probate attorney so you can compare the fee rates.

 

[soulslayer]

I haven't signed anything yet, we're travelling out of state next week to sign paperwork and so I can be sworn in as the executor. From what I've been told, I'm still the executor, and they're serving as an "agent" on my behalf.

As for multiple attorneys, this one was referred to me through my company assistance plan, and they're giving me (I think) a 25% discount because of it. I doubt very seriously with that discount that I could find another attorney on my own that could beat the fees.

Lastly, this is the only probate attorney in that area that is included in my companies arrangement, so any other attorney I would hire would be outside that discount area.

 

[Dandy Don]

Executor fee in Virginia by law is listed as "reasonable compensation", so you need to at least talk to more than one attorney to find out exactly what that rate is. And if it is too difficult for you to serve as an out-of-state executor, then you should let the attorney do everything.