Estate Administration Attorneys in Texas

Texas sets executor compensation by statute at 2%–5% of the estate valueTex. Est. Code § 352.002 (5% commission on cash receipts/disbursements; excludes funds on hand/in financial institutions at death, life insurance proceeds, and cash distributions to heirs per § 352.002(b))Verified Apr 14, 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 Texas executor fee calculator.

Estate planning attorneys in Texas average $385 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,155–$2,310 for a simple individual will and $4,110–$6,165 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.

Texas allows estates under $75,000 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 Texas probate calculator to estimate the costs.

In Texas, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships (community property rules can produce surprising outcomes); 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.