Probate in Gallatin County

Probate Court Record

Gallatin County District Court

Gallatin County · 18th Judicial District

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM

Office

515 South 16th Avenue, Room 1041, Bozeman, MT 59715

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

How to file probate in Gallatin County →

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

Do I need a lawyer for probate in Gallatin County? →Settling an estate in Gallatin County →

Asset Protection Firms Serving Gallatin County

Providing Montana probate services, estate planning, wills and trusts, and elder law since 1995. Serves all counties in Montana from Kalispell and Columbia Falls offices, including Billings, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, and Miles City. Offers a free 30-minute consultation and remote handling with no need for face-to-face meetings.

Since 1995Serves the whole stateFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawGuardianship+3

All 3 Montana asset protection firms serving Gallatin County →

Forms for Planning Your Estate in Montana

Free forms for planning your estate in Montana: will, living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney and TOD deed. Prepare each form for Montana.

$12/month

Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

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Free

Pour-Over Will

In Montana, a pour-over will is signed before 2MCA § 72-2-522Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.

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Transfer on Death Deed

In Montana, a transfer on death deed is signed before a notaryMCA 72-6-401 to 72-6-418Verified Oct 18, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathMCA 72-6-401 to 72-6-418Verified Oct 18, 2026View source. Montana does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.

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Last Will and Testament

In Montana, a will is signed before 2MCA § 72-2-522Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyMCA § 72-2-522Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.

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All Montana forms

Tools for Planning Your Estate in Montana

Free tools for planning your estate in Montana: will and trust costs, trust or TOD deed, and the signing rules. Run each tool for Montana and read its answer.

Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?

In Montana, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under MCA § 72-3-634 (compensation of persons employed by the personal representative, including attorneys); § 72-3-632 (estate litigation); former § 72-3-633 repealed by Sec. 105, Ch. 313, L. 2019: the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.9%Modeled estimate under MCA § 72-3-634 (compensation of persons employed by the personal representative, including attorneys); § 72-3-632 (estate litigation); former § 72-3-633 repealed by Sec. 105, Ch. 313, L. 2019: the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.

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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?

An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Montana runs $3,620Estimate: 10 hours at $362, Clio's Montana Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,430Estimate: 15 hours at $362, Clio's Montana Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.

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Do I Need a TOD Deed?

Montana authorizes transfer on death deedsMCA 72-6-401 to 72-6-418Verified Oct 17, 2026View source: a recorded, revocable deed that passes real property at death outside probate.

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Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?

Montana automatically revokes an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorceMCA § 72-2-814Verified Sep 15, 2026View source; employer plans under ERISA follow federal rules either way, so a 401(k) beneficiary changes only by a new designation.

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All Montana tools