Serves Cuyahoga County from Auburn Drive in Beachwood, filing in the Cuyahoga County Probate Court. The practice is split evenly between estate planning and estate administration — administering estates and trusts, and guiding fiduciaries, families, and beneficiaries through settlement. Rennie Rutman is an OSBA certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.
Cleveland is in Cuyahoga County.
More Estate Planning Firms in Cuyahoga County
Serves Cuyahoga County from Cleveland’s west side in Westlake, filing in the Cuyahoga County Probate Court. Has worked with more than 13,500 clients on probate and estate matters since 1968, handling estate and trust administration, probate litigation, and guardianship, and preparing wills, powers of attorney, and transfer-on-death designations.
Probate in Cuyahoga County
Probate Court Record
Cuyahoga County Probate Court
Cuyahoga County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
1 Lakeside Avenue West, Cleveland, OH 44113
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Cuyahoga County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Cuyahoga County? →Settling an estate in Cuyahoga County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Ohio
Free Ohio forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Ohio and download the PDF.
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Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Last Will and Testament
In Ohio, a will is signed before 2ORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and no self-proving affidavit is availableORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Free
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Ohio allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2ORC § 1337.17Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
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Free
Financial Power of Attorney
Ohio treats a power of attorney as durable by defaultORC §§ 1337.21–1337.64Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed with no witness or notary requirementORC §§ 1337.21–1337.64Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
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Pour-Over Will
In Ohio, a pour-over will is signed before 2ORC § 2107.03Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
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Transfer on Death Deed
In Ohio, a transfer on death designation affidavit is signed before a notaryORC 5302.22 to 5302.24Verified Oct 19, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathORC 5302.22 to 5302.24Verified Oct 19, 2026View source. Ohio does not recognize a Lady Bird deed.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Ohio
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Ohio: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Ohio.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In Ohio, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): 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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Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Probate in Ohio takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
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What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Ohio runs $2,940Estimate: 10 hours at $294, Clio's Ohio Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $4,410Estimate: 15 hours at $294, Clio's Ohio Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source and a simple will $942Estimate: 3 hours at $314, Clio's Ohio Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $1,884Estimate: 6 hours at $314, Clio's Ohio Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Ohio costs an estimated $26,234ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
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Are My Beneficiary Designations Protected?
Ohio automatically revokes an ex-spouse as beneficiary at divorceORC § 5815.33; ORC § 5302.23(B)(12)Verified 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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What Are the Estate Laws in My State?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Ohio costs an estimated $26,234ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source and takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate, with attorney fees of typically 1.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under ORC § 2113.36 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate. Estates under $35,000codes.ohio.gov: ORC § 2113.03Verified Sep 8, 2026View source can use a small-estate procedure instead.
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