What do estate planning attorneys charge in North Dakota?

Estate planning attorneys in North Dakota average $319 per hour for wills and estates work, based on the Clio Legal Trends Report 2025. Flat-fee packages run roughly $957–$1,914 for a simple individual will and $3,540–$5,310 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents.

Estate Administration Attorneys in North Dakota

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Hiring an Estate Administration Attorney in North Dakota

Estate administration in North Dakota typically runs 4–6 months for simple estates and 12–24 months for complex ones. The minimum timeline is largely set by the creditor claim period (3 months), during which the executor can't safely distribute assets. Living trusts bypass this entirely because they don't go through probate. The North Dakota estate settlement plan walks through the steps.

North Dakota allows executors "reasonable compensation" — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay. Executors can also waive their fee entirely or accept a reduced amount. When the executor is a family member who is also a beneficiary, waiving the fee is common because beneficiary distributions aren't taxed as income while executor fees are. See the North Dakota executor fee calculator.

Estate planning attorneys in North Dakota average $319 per hour for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $957–$1,914 for a simple individual will and $3,540–$5,310 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.

North Dakota has a generous small-estate threshold of $100,000. Estates under that line can use the Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case — most families can handle it without an attorney. For estates above the threshold, formal probate generally benefits from counsel because of the procedural overhead, even when nothing is contested. The North Dakota probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.

In North Dakota, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.

Estate Administration Attorneys in North Dakota

Estate administration in North Dakota typically takes 4 months–6 months for straightforward estates. The executor (called the personal representative in some states) is responsible for filing the will, inventorying assets, paying creditors, and distributing what's left. North Dakota allows executors "reasonable compensation" — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay.

Estate planning attorneys in North Dakota charge $319 per hour for wills work. A simple will done through an attorney typically runs $957–$1,914; online services cost $30–$300 for the same document.

North Dakota runs a conventional probate system, so the decision to hire an attorney usually comes down to general factors: blended families, business ownership, special-needs dependents, or property in multiple states. If none of those apply, simpler tools are often enough.

Worth knowing: estates under $100,000 can use North Dakota's simplified affidavit instead of formal probate. If your situation is straightforward and the estate fits, you may not need an attorney at all.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated September 8, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from North Dakota statutes and official state code. How we research.

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