Free Maine forms for planning an estate or settling one: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed, and the probate forms an executor files.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
In Maine, a will is signed before 218-C M.R.S. § 2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimony18-C M.R.S. § 2-502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in Maine: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
Probate on a $500,000 estate in Maine costs an estimated $26,31318-C M.R.S. § 3-721 (court review of the reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage); § 3-720 (reasonable attorney fees in estate litigation)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.9%18-C M.R.S. § 3-721 (court review of the reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage); § 3-720 (reasonable attorney fees in estate litigation)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%18-C M.R.S. § 3-721 (court review of the reasonableness of attorney compensation; no statutory percentage); § 3-720 (reasonable attorney fees in estate litigation)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate under a reasonable-compensation standard.
Settling an estate in Maine: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 days18-C MRSA §§ 3-706, 3-707, 3-708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 months18-C MRS §§ 3-801, 3-803, 3-805, 3-806Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
Maine pays executors reasonable compensation18-C M.R.S. § 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.
In Maine, estates with personal property of $52,50018-C M.R.S. § 3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Small Estate Affidavit18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 days18-C M.R.S. § 3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death.
In Maine, creditors have 4 months18-C M.R.S. § 3-801(1) (4 months from first publication); § 3-803(1) (outer bar: earlier of 9 months after death or the § 3-801 period)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
Maine has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is available18-C M.R.S. §§ 3-301, 3-302Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
58 probate firms in Maine, by county and firm type.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
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58 firms
FirmBangor, ME
Serves Penobscot County from an office on Main Street in downtown Bangor. A general practice firm that lists probate and estate planning among its practice areas, with attorneys Emily Belanger and Gregory Dorr handling estate planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
Solo PracticeAugusta, ME
Serves Central Maine from Winthrop Street in Augusta, with court appearances statewide. Attorney Eric S. Dick handles probate matters, including transferring a decedent's assets to beneficiaries and representing people involved in probate disputes. The firm emphasizes probate law and has served Central Maine for over 35 years.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate Litigation
Solo PracticeCalais, ME
Serves Washington County from Calais. Dennis L. Mahar, admitted to the Maine bar in 1986, is the firm's active attorney.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateGeneral Practice
Solo PracticeBelfast, ME
Serves Waldo County from an office on Waldo Avenue in Belfast, open by appointment only. Miles Frieden handles probate, wills and estate planning alongside real estate work and mediation, with flat fee options available. He has practiced in Waldo County since opening his Searsport office in 1986.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate
FirmDamariscotta, ME
Serves Lincoln County and the midcoast from 181 Main Street in Damariscotta. Guides families through the administration of an estate, representing personal representatives at hearings and in contested and uncontested probate matters, and files petitions for guardianship and conservatorship. Formed in 2016 by the merger of Gallagher and Stein with the Law Office of Marcia E. DeGeer.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 2 more
FirmBangor, ME
Serves Penobscot, Hancock, Piscataquis, Waldo and Washington counties from Bangor. Attorneys C. Peter Bos and William N. Palmer guide executors and beneficiaries through probate, handling court filings, creditor claims, intestate estates and asset distribution, and represent parties in will contests and other probate disputes. The firm offers a free 30-minute consultation.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate Litigation
FirmOrono, ME
Serves the greater Bangor area from an office on Main Street in Orono. Guides personal representatives and families through probate, from opening the estate and obtaining authority to act through required notices, filings and distribution of assets, and handles guardianship and conservatorship matters. The firm's attorneys have practiced in the greater Bangor area since 1974.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianship
FirmEllsworth, ME
Serves Hancock, Penobscot and Washington counties from Main Street in Ellsworth. Attorneys Melissa Hale and Sally Mills handle probate, trustee services, guardianships and conservatorships, and Sally Mills and Zachary McNally take on probate litigation. Established in 1883, the firm describes itself as Maine's oldest law firm.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more
FirmRockland, ME
Serves clients throughout Maine from School Street in Rockland, with a focus on Knox, Lincoln and Waldo counties. Administers estates through the Probate Court, prepares federal and state estate tax returns, handles trust administration, guardianships, conservatorships and will contests. The firm was established in 1901 by Alan C. Bird.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
FirmAugusta, ME
Serves Augusta, Gardiner, Waterville, Lewiston, Auburn and surrounding Maine communities from Winthrop Street in Augusta. Represents heirs, beneficiaries, trustees and personal representatives in will contests, trust disputes, fiduciary claims, claims against estates and disputes among beneficiaries. Founded in 1977 by James E. Mitchell and Jed Davis, the firm offers free consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation
FirmEllsworth, ME
Serves Hancock County from Ellsworth. Advises personal representatives on inventories, creditor claims, tax filings and closing an estate, and can serve as personal representative, trustee, guardian or conservator, with trust work covering beneficiary notices and annual accountings. Formerly Jones, Kuriloff & Sargent, LLC, renamed JKS, LLC on January 1, 2026.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
Solo PracticeYork, ME
Serves York County clients from York and takes matters from every Maine county. Guides personal representatives through Maine probate and estate administration, and prepares wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and MaineCare deed-transfer planning. Kathryn Bedell has practiced in York since 1991.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawMedicaid PlanningReal Estate Law
FirmWinthrop, ME
Serves clients statewide from a Winthrop office in Kennebec County. Settles estates through probate, including preparing and filing estate tax returns, and drafts wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. Families often use the firm to set up trusts or LLCs to hold cottage property.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateElder LawTax Planningand 3 more
Solo PracticeDamariscotta, ME
Serves Lincoln, Knox, Sagadahoc, Waldo, Kennebec, and Cumberland counties from Damariscotta. Represents personal representatives in estate administration and ancillary administration, administers testamentary and living trusts, files estate and fiduciary tax returns, and handles will contests. Licensed in Maine and Massachusetts, with multi-jurisdictional work for summer residents.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 8 more
Solo PracticeSouth Portland, ME
Serves southern and central Maine from an office in South Portland. Handles the probate and administration of estates of all sizes, assists trustees with trust administration, gives limited-scope help to personal representatives, and handles non-probate asset transfers. Hospice and nursing facility conferences are available for clients who cannot travel.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
FirmFalmouth, ME
Serves Greater Portland and the Lakes Region from offices in Falmouth and Bridgton. A probate, estate and trust administration group guides personal representatives and trustees, including the accounting of estate assets, and the firm handles guardianships, conservatorships, and MaineCare applications. Of counsel Patricia Nelson-Reade is a certified elder law attorney and registered nurse.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 8 more
FirmPortland, ME
An estate and tax law firm in Portland, Cumberland County, founded in 1995. Administers estates and trusts, handles every tax filing tied to an administration, represents trustees or beneficiaries, and handles guardianships, conservatorships, and difficult administrations before the Maine Probate Court. The team includes a CPA.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 2 more
Solo PracticeWinthrop, ME
Serves Kennebec County from Winthrop and meets clients by appointment in the Waterville and Brunswick/Topsham areas. Files to have personal representatives appointed, advises them through paying debts, selling property, and distributing the estate, assists trustees, and represents parties in will contests or serves as mediator. Daniel J. Eccher continues the practice.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 6 more
Solo PracticeDamariscotta, ME
Serves clients throughout Maine from Damariscotta in Lincoln County. Assists with the probate of estates large and small, serves as trustee for client estates and trusts, and works with investment advisors and CPAs to prepare estate and fiduciary tax returns. Runs Coastal Title Company for title and closing work and offers free phone consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 2 more
FirmBelfast, ME
Serves midcoast Maine from Belfast in Waldo County and appears in courts throughout the state. Represents clients in the probate court, including trust administration, guardianships of minors and adults, conservatorships, and trials and appeals over wills and trusts. Randolph Mailloux formerly served as Judge of Probate for Waldo County.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 7 more