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Estate administration in South Carolina typically runs 6–9 months for simple estates and 18–36 months for complex ones. The minimum timeline is largely set by the creditor claim period (8 months), during which the executor can't safely distribute assets. Living trusts bypass this entirely because they don't go through probate. The South Carolina estate settlement checklist walks through the steps.
South Carolina sets executor compensation by statute at 5%–5% of the estate valueS.C. Code § 62-3-719 (up to 5% of personal property + real property sale proceeds; min $50; court may authorize above 5% for extraordinary services)Verified May 27, 2026. 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 South Carolina executor fee calculator.
Estate planning attorneys in South Carolina average $374 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,122–$2,244 for a simple individual will and $4,150–$6,225 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.
South Carolina allows estates under $45,000 to use a simplified Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the South Carolina probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In South Carolina, 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.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
14 firms
Law Offices of Brittany Gray maintains offices in Laurens and Mauldin and focuses on estate planning, wills, living trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, deeds, probate, and estate administration, serving Laurens, Clinton, and the surrounding Upstate.
Location
102 W. Main StreetLaurens, SC 29360
Phone
(864) 715-5130
Service Area
6 counties
Bluffton firm serving Beaufort, Bluffton, Hardeeville, and Hilton Head. Drafts wills, revocable living trusts, financial and healthcare powers of attorney, and living wills, and guides personal representatives through probate and estate administration.
Location
211 Goethe Road, Suite BBluffton, SC 29910
Phone
(843) 868-2801
A Walterboro firm serving the Lowcountry of South Carolina. Estate work includes estate planning counsel, will preparation, living wills, durable powers of attorney, and administration of estates and trusts. The firm also handles civil litigation, personal injury, and family law.
Location
108 Carn StreetWalterboro, SC 29488
Phone
(843) 782-4359
Service Area
1 county
Hardeeville firm serving Jasper County and the Lowcountry since 1975. Practice areas include probate, real estate, personal injury, workers compensation, and criminal defense. Attorney Mills Lane Morrison Jr. handles wills and probate administration and litigation.
Location
300 Main StreetHardeeville, SC 29927
Phone
(843) 784-2142
Service Area
1 county
Hartsville general-practice firm whose estate-side practice covers wills, powers of attorney, estate planning, and probate administration. Two attorneys staff the firm: Benson H. Driggers and Martin S. Driggers Jr.
Location
323 West Home AvenueHartsville, SC 29551
Phone
(843) 332-5151
Harvey & Battey has served the Beaufort Lowcountry since 1922, providing estate planning, probate, and tax planning services. Colden R. Battey Jr. received the 2024 Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor.
Location
1001 Craven StreetBeaufort, SC 29902
Phone
(843) 524-3109
Established
1922
Service Area
4 counties
Mount Pleasant firm practicing in estate planning and probate law, serving clients throughout the Charleston and Lowcountry regions. Practice covers wills and trusts, probate and administration, and powers of attorney.
Location
3404 Salterbeck Street, Suite 204Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
Phone
(843) 416-8498
Cheraw firm handling probate court matters, advance planning, real estate, family court, bankruptcy, and business formation. Primary service area is Marlboro and Darlington counties, with probate matters handled in Chesterfield County.
Location
217 Second StreetCheraw, SC 29520
Phone
(843) 537-6565
Service Area
3 counties
LaFond Law Group has served the Charleston area since 1998 with estate planning, probate administration, and elder law services. Catherine LaFond holds an LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami School of Law.
Location
544 Savannah HighwayCharleston, SC 29407
Phone
(843) 762-3554
Established
1998
Service Area
3 counties
McDonald Patrick Poston Hemphill & Roper, LLC is a Greenwood firm whose wills, trusts, and estates practice covers estate and gift tax planning, estate and trust administration, revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs and charitable trusts, powers of attorney, and probate litigation, guardianship, and conservatorship matters.
Location
414 Main StreetGreenwood, SC 29646
Phone
(864) 229-2511
Service Area
6 counties