Baker Donelson is a national firm whose Tennessee trusts and estates attorneys work from Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga. The group probates wills, assists executors and trustees in settling estates and trusts, prepares estate tax returns and litigates family and fiduciary disputes. It also handles post-mortem tax planning and guardianship and conservatorship proceedings.
Chattanooga is in Hamilton County.
Probate in Hamilton County
Probate Court Record
Hamilton County Chancery Court
Hamilton County · 11th Judicial District
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Office
625 Georgia Avenue, Suite 300, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Appointment required
Self-represented filing
Allowed
Self-help forms
How to file probate in Hamilton County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Hamilton County? →Settling an estate in Hamilton County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Tennessee
Free Tennessee forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for Tennessee.
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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 Tennessee, a will is signed before 2T.C.A. § 32-1-104Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyT.C.A. § 32-1-104Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
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Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Tennessee
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in Tennessee: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool for Tennessee.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Tennessee costs an estimated $24,527T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; no statutory percentageVerified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.7%Modeled estimate under T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; no statutory percentage: the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.7%Modeled estimate under T.C.A. § 30-2-317(a)(1) (reasonable compensation to the personal representative's counsel, a first-priority cost of administration); § 30-2-606; 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 Tennessee, descendants divide what passes to them per capita with representationTenn. Code §§ 31-2-104(b)(1), 31-2-106Verified Oct 21, 2026View source, and an heir must survive the decedent by 120 hoursTenn. Code § 31-3-108Verified Oct 21, 2026View source to inherit.
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What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In Tennessee, creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. § 30-2-306(b) cl. (1)(A) (4 months from first publication or posting), cl. (1)(B) (60 days from actual notice), cl. (2) and § 30-2-310(a) (12-month bar from death); § 30-2-307(a)(1); § 30-2-321Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
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How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Tennessee: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 daysTenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-301Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsT.C.A. §§ 30-2-306, 30-2-307, 30-2-310, 30-2-314, 30-2-317Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
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How Much Can an Executor Charge?
Tennessee pays executors reasonable compensationT.C.A. § 30-2-606 (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.
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