Serves Wadena County from an office on Colfax Avenue SW in Wadena. Attorney Grant Skoog guides personal representatives, heirs and beneficiaries through probate, from the petition, inventory and notice to creditors to final distribution, including estates without a will and contested wills. He is admitted to practice in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Wadena is in Wadena County.
Probate in Wadena County
Probate Court Record
Wadena County District Court
Wadena County · Seventh Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
Office
415 South Jefferson Street, Wadena, MN 56482
Website
E-filing
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Wadena County →
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Wadena County? →Settling an estate in Wadena County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Minnesota
Free Minnesota forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Minnesota.
$12/month
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Get Started
Free
Last Will and Testament
In Minnesota, a will is signed before 2Minn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyMinn. Stat. § 524.2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Get Started
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Minnesota
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Minnesota: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Minnesota.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Minnesota costs an estimated $26,108Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.9%Modeled estimate under Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%Modeled estimate under Minn. Stat. § 525.515 (just and reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; review under § 524.3-721): 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.
Calculate Costs
Who Inherits Without a Will?
Without a will in Minnesota, a surviving spouse takes the entire estateMinn. Stat. § 524.2-102Verified Oct 21, 2026View source when every child of either spouse is a child of both, and descendants divide what passes to them per stirpesMinn. Stat. § 524.2-106Verified Oct 21, 2026View source.
Check the Rules
What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Minnesota, creditors have 4 monthsMinn. Stat. § 524.3-803Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
Check the Rules
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Minnesota: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 180 daysMinn. Stat. §§ 524.3-706, 524.3-708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsMinn. Stat. §§ 524.3-801, 524.3-803, 524.3-805, 524.3-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
See the Steps
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Minnesota pays executors reasonable compensationMinn. Stat. § 524.3-719 (reasonable compensation; 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.
Calculate the Fee