Probate in Kent County

Probate Court Record

Kent County Register of Wills

Kent County

Hours

Monday-Thursday 8:30 AM-4:00 PM; Friday 8:30 AM-3:30 PM

Office

555 Bay Road, 2nd Floor, Room 214, Dover, DE 19901

Filing in person

Appointment required

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

How to file probate in Kent County →

Verified October 15, 2026 · Source

Do I need a lawyer for probate in Kent County? →Settling an estate in Kent County →

Probate Litigation Firms Serving Kent County

Serves Sussex County from Georgetown, with offices in Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach and Milford. Its attorneys handle estate and probate administration for executors, administrators and heirs, will and trust contests, and Court of Chancery guardianship petitions, alongside elder-law and Medicaid planning. The firm traces its roots back more than 130 years.

Serves 2 countiesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust LitigationElder Law+2

Serves clients statewide from offices in Georgetown and Milford. Handles the probate and administration of estates, from identifying assets and paying debts and estate taxes to distribution, counsels on will contests, and represents clients in guardianships. Founded in 1990 by J. Everett Moore, Jr. and David N. Rutt, the five-attorney firm also practices real estate and municipal law.

Since 1990Serves the whole stateEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationGuardianshipMunicipal LawReal Estate

Serves clients throughout Delaware from a N. Franklin Street office in Wilmington. Advises executors, administrators and trustees through probate and trust administration, and litigates will and guardianship contests, undue influence cases and trust disputes. Also handles Medicaid planning and elder law alongside civil litigation in all Delaware courts.

Serves the whole stateEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+3

Serves Delaware from offices in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach. The Wills, Trusts & Estates group administers estates from the initial probate proceedings through formal accounts, files fiduciary income tax returns, and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in estate and trust litigation, with elder-law and Medicaid planning. A Mid-Atlantic firm founded in 1992.

Since 1992Serves the whole stateEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+5

All 9 Delaware probate litigation firms serving Kent County →

Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Delaware

Free Delaware forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Delaware.

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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 Delaware, a will is signed before 212 Del. C. § 202Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimony12 Del. C. § 202Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.

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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Delaware

Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Delaware: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Delaware.

How Much Does Probate Cost?

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Delaware costs an estimated $33,96412 Del. C. § 2305 (fees "as provided by rule of the Court of Chancery"; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2.5%Modeled estimate under 12 Del. C. § 2305 (fees "as provided by rule of the Court of Chancery"; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.9%Modeled estimate under 12 Del. C. § 2305 (fees "as provided by rule of the Court of Chancery"; 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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Who Inherits Without a Will?

Without a will in Delaware, descendants divide what passes to them per stirpes12 Del. C. § 503Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, and an heir must survive the decedent by 120 hours12 Del. C. § 504Verified Oct 21, 2026View source to inherit.

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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?

In Delaware, creditors have 8 months12 Del. C. § 2102 (8 months from death for pre-death claims; 6 months for post-death claims)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from the date of death to present claims; late claims are barred.

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How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Delaware: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysDel. Code tit. 12, §§ 1904, 1905, 1908, 1910Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 8 months12 Del. C. §§ 2101, 2102, 2103, 2104, 2105, 2109Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 9 months to 12 months.

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How Much Can an Executor Charge?

Delaware pays executors reasonable compensation12 Del. C. § 2305 (commissions "as provided by rule of the Court of Chancery"; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, typically 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate.

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