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.
Probate in Lake County
Probate Court Record
Lake County Probate Court
Lake County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
25 North Park Place, Painesville, OH 44077
Website
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Lake County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Lake County? →Settling an estate in Lake County →
Estate Law Firms Serving Lake County
Serves Wayne, Holmes, Medina, Knox, and Ashland counties from five offices anchored in Wooster. Handles estate, trust, and guardianship administration and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in will contests, fiduciary removal, and trust and probate litigation. Several attorneys are OSBA-certified specialists in estate planning, trust, and probate law.
The Cleveland-based Private Wealth Services group serves clients across Ohio. It handles estate settlement, trust administration, and fiduciary services, along with asset protection, charitable planning, and succession planning for closely held companies. Chambers HNW ranked.
Founded in 1980, Ibold & O'Brien is one of the largest law firms in Geauga County, with offices in Chardon and Orwell. The estate planning practice handles wills, trusts, probate, guardianships, and powers of attorney. Dennis Ibold has been recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer for 18 consecutive years.
A Cleveland firm on Superior Avenue whose Trusts & Estates group prepares wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives and handles estate and trust administration. The practice includes attorneys who are Board Certified Specialists in Federal Taxation Law. Founded 1959.
Serves Lorain County families from Sheffield Village, filing in the Lorain County Probate Court in Elyria. Handles probate and estate administration alongside estate planning, real estate, and business matters. Attorney Amanda Cooke continues the practice co-founded by Robert A. Piazza.
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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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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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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Free
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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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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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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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Ohio: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysR.C. §§ 2115.02, 2115.06, 2113.69Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 monthsR.C. §§ 2117.06, 2117.07, 2117.12, 2117.25Verified Oct 19, 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 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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