Probate in Lancaster County

Probate Court Record

Lancaster County Court

Lancaster County · 3

Hours

Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM

Office

575 South 10th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508

Files probate

Probate, Adoption & Condemnation Division

Self-represented filing

Allowed

Self-help forms

How to file probate in Lancaster County →

Verified October 16, 2026 · Source

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

Probate Firms Serving Lancaster County

Gering firm founded in 1946, directly across the street from the Scotts Bluff County Courthouse, with a second office in Kimball near the Kimball County Courthouse. Handles probate, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, guardianships, and conservatorships, with Matthew Turman carrying the estate planning work. Offers a free consultation on estate matters.

Since 1946Serves 15 countiesFree consultationEstate PlanningProbateConservatorshipGuardianshipReal Estate

Beatrice firm in Gage County with a Fairbury office, successor to the Law Offices of Merrell Andersen, serving Jefferson, Saline, Gage, Johnson, and Lancaster Counties. Handles probate and trust administration, including the inheritance tax determination, on a flat fee schedule based on estate value. Offers a free initial consultation, remote meetings, and English and Spanish service.

Serves 5 countiesFree consultationVirtual consultationsEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax PlanningConservatorship+3

Bellevue firm in Sarpy County serving Bellevue, Omaha, Lincoln, and eastern Nebraska. Administers estates and trusts after a death and litigates disputes over existing estates, trusts, guardianships, and conservatorships. The trial team includes a retired district court judge and a former prosecutor.

Serves 3 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+5

Beatrice firm in Gage County with roots to 1885, serving towns including Crete, Fairbury, Pawnee City, Falls City, and Tecumseh. Guides executors and trustees through probate and trust administration, prepares fiduciary, final, and Nebraska inheritance tax returns, and handles will and trust contests. Associate Nolan W. Schafer is both an attorney and a CPA.

Since 1885Serves 7 countiesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation+6

Firm with offices in Blair (Washington County), Plattsmouth (Cass County), and Omaha. Helps personal representatives get appointed and administer testate and intestate estates, and handles probate and trust litigation, including will contests, capacity challenges, and suits by trust beneficiaries over a trustee's conduct. Initial consultations are free and held in person or by phone.

Serves 3 countiesFree consultationVirtual consultationsEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTrust LitigationConservatorship+4

Elkhorn estate planning firm in Douglas County whose practice is limited to wills, trusts, and estate administration, serving clients throughout Nebraska and Iowa. Handles both probate in the county court and trust administration through a systematized process, alongside elder law, nursing home planning, and supplemental needs trusts. Offers a free, no-obligation initial appointment.

Serves the whole stateFree consultationEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawSpecial Needs PlanningMedicaid Planning

All 14 Nebraska probate firms serving Lancaster County →

Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in Nebraska

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

$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 Nebraska, a will is signed before 2Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2327Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyNeb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2327Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.

Get Started

All Nebraska forms

Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in Nebraska

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

How Much Does Probate Cost?

Probate on a $500,000 estate in Nebraska costs an estimated $25,018Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2482 (reasonable compensation determined by court)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 1.7%Modeled estimate under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2482 (reasonable compensation determined by court): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 2.8%Modeled estimate under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2482 (reasonable compensation determined by court): 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

How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in Nebraska: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysNeb. Rev. Stat. §§ 30-2467, 30-2468, 30-2469Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 2 monthsNeb. Rev. Stat. §§ 25-520.01, 30-2483, 30-2485, 30-2486, 30-2487Verified 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?

Nebraska pays executors reasonable compensationNeb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2480 (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

Do I Need Probate?

In Nebraska, estates with personal property of $100,000Neb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Small Estate AffidavitNeb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 daysNeb. Rev. Stat. § 30-24,125Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death.

Get the Answer

What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?

In Nebraska, creditors have 2 monthsNeb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2485Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.

Check the Rules

Can I Self-File Probate?

Nebraska has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableNeb. Rev. Stat. § 30-2414Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.

Get the Answer

All Nebraska tools