Bookbinder Law is a Marlton elder law and estate planning practice serving Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, and Mercer counties, founded in 1996 by Dana E. Bookbinder, a Certified Elder Law Attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation. The firm assists executors and families with probate and estate administration, special needs planning, and guardianships across South Jersey.
Probate in Mercer County
Probate Court Record
Mercer County Surrogate's Court
Mercer County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Office
Mercer County Civil Court House, 175 South Broad Street, 4th Floor, Room 420, Trenton, NJ 08608
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Mercer County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Mercer County? →Settling an estate in Mercer County →
Estate Law Firms Serving Mercer County
Levine, Furman & Rubin serves Monmouth and Middlesex counties from its Morganville office, with a second office in Ocean County. The firm handles estate and trust administration, probate, guardianships, special needs planning, and Medicaid and elder law matters, in addition to wills and living trusts.
Augulis Law Firm works from Warren in Somerset County and serves Somerset, Middlesex, Union, Hunterdon and Morris families. The practice covers trust administration, Medicaid and elder law, special needs planning, and asset protection for family-owned businesses, alongside wills, trusts, and incapacity documents. Estate planning consultations are free.
Giuditta Law Firm provides estate planning and probate services to families in Union County and throughout New Jersey. Founding attorney Nicholas A. Giuditta III brings 30 years of experience and co-chairs the Union County Bar Association Elder Law Committee.
Norris McLaughlin specializes in Estate Planning and Administration & Wealth Preservation with a 15-attorney practice group, serving clients throughout North and Central Jersey.
Rose & Zucker serves Hudson County from Bayonne, filing through the Hudson County Surrogate at 595 Newark Avenue in Jersey City, with a second office in Summit for Union and Essex County clients. The firm walks executors and successor trustees through probate and estate administration and pairs it with Medicaid applications, asset protection, and special needs planning.
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in New Jersey
Free New Jersey forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for New Jersey.
$12/month
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
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Free
Last Will and Testament
In New Jersey, a will is signed before 2N.J.S.A. 3B:3-2Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyN.J.S.A. 3B:3-2Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Free
Healthcare Power of Attorney
New Jersey allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 2New Jersey Commission on Legal and Ethical Problems in the Delivery of Health Care sample Proxy Directive (published by the NJ Department of Health; not codified in statute)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witnesses or a notary.
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Free
Financial Power of Attorney
New Jersey requires explicit durability language for a power of attorney to survive incapacityN.J.S.A. §§ 46:2B-8.1 to 46:2B-8.14 (Revised Durable Power of Attorney Act); R.S. 46:14-2.1; R.S. 46:14-6.1; N.J.S.A. §§ 3B:14-61.9, 3B:14-61.10 (RUFADAA)Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, and it is signed before a notaryN.J.S.A. §§ 46:2B-8.1 to 46:2B-8.14 (Revised Durable Power of Attorney Act); R.S. 46:14-2.1; R.S. 46:14-6.1; N.J.S.A. §§ 3B:14-61.9, 3B:14-61.10 (RUFADAA)Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
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Pour-Over Will
In New Jersey, a pour-over will is signed before 2N.J.S.A. 3B:3-2Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in New Jersey
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in New Jersey: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for New Jersey.
Trust or Will: Which Costs Less?
In New Jersey, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 2.4%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.9%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): 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 New Jersey takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 2.4%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.9%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): 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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How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in New Jersey costs an estimated $35,885R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2.4%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.9%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): 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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What Are the Estate Laws in My State?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in New Jersey costs an estimated $35,885R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source and takes 6 months to 9 months for a simple estate, with attorney fees of typically 2.4%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.9%Modeled estimate under R. 4:42-9(a)(3) (counsel fee out of the estate); R. 4:42-9(b) (affidavit of services; RPC 1.5(a) factors; no statutory percentage); N.J.S.A. 3B:18-6 (attorney serving as fiduciary): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate. Estates under $20,000N.J.S.A. 3B:10-3Verified Sep 8, 2026View source can use a small-estate procedure instead.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in New Jersey: creditors have 9 monthsN.J.S.A. 3B:22-2, 3B:22-4, 3B:22-8, 3B:22-10, 3B:22-33Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
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What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable trust in New Jersey runs $4,440Estimate: 10 hours at $444, Clio's New Jersey Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $6,660Estimate: 15 hours at $444, Clio's New Jersey Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source and a simple will $1,305Estimate: 3 hours at $435, Clio's New Jersey Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,610Estimate: 6 hours at $435, Clio's New Jersey 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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