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Probate in New Mexico typically costs 2%–4% of the estate value in attorney feesNMSA § 45-3-715(A)(21) (PR may employ attorneys and compensate them as admin expense); § 45-3-720 (expenses in estate litigation, incl. reasonable attorney fees); no statutory percentageVerified Jun 11, 2026, plus court filing fees, executor compensation, publication costs, and any required surety bond. Attorney fees in New Mexico are negotiated, so the actual cost depends on the firm and complexity. Total all-in costs typically run 3-8% of estate value. The New Mexico probate calculator gives a detailed estimate based on estate value.
New Mexico allows "independent administration" (sometimes called unsupervised or informal probate), which lets the executor handle most estate decisions without ongoing court approval. The executor still files the will, inventories assets, and reports to the court, but doesn't need a hearing for routine actions like paying bills or selling assets. Independent administration typically saves both time and attorney fees compared to supervised probate.
Estate planning attorneys in New Mexico average $321 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $963–$1,926 for a simple individual will and $3,510–$5,265 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.
New Mexico allows estates under $50,000 to use a simplified Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the New Mexico probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In New Mexico, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships (community property rules can produce surprising outcomes); ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 4,004 estate law firms across 51 states.
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.
49 firms
Alan P. Morel has practiced in Ruidoso since 1989 and serves Lincoln County and surrounding southeast New Mexico communities. He has served as outside counsel for Lincoln County, the Ruidoso Board of Realtors, Cablevision Communications, and Mescalero Apache Telecom alongside his estate planning and probate practice.
Location
700 Mechem Drive, Suite 12Ruidoso, NM 88345
Phone
(575) 257-3556
Bischoff & Bischoff Law has served New Mexico for over 45 years, specializing in estate planning, probate, and tax law. Gerald Bischoff holds an LL.M. in Tax Law, providing particular expertise in tax-related estate planning. The firm serves clients in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, and Valencia County including Los Lunas and Belen.
Location
612 1st Street NWAlbuquerque, NM 87102
Phone
(505) 243-6721
Established
1980
Benting Crumley Law serves Luna, Grant, and Sierra counties from their Deming office. Tyler Benting focuses on estate planning, probate, real estate, and business law. He earned his J.D. and a master's in personal financial planning from Texas Tech University.
Location
115 E Ash StDeming, NM 88030
Phone
(575) 546-6300
A second-generation law firm with over 46 years of experience specializing in estate planning, trusts, wills, and tax issues. John Budagher holds an LL.M. in Estate Planning from the University of Miami School of Law.
Location
3500 Comanche Rd NE, Building BAlbuquerque, NM 87107
Phone
(505) 881-9060
Tom Brown began the practice of law in 1986 and has throughout his 32+ year career focused on legal matters related to trusts and estates, wills, estate planning, probate and trust administration.
Location
600 Central Avenue SE, Suite 203Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone
(505) 352-1614
The law firm has served the legal needs of New Mexico's citizens, businesses and government since 1959. Their commercial section meets legal needs in wills, estate planning and related litigation. Member of ALFA International global legal network.
Location
4101 Indian School Rd NE, Suite 300SAlbuquerque, NM 87110
Phone
(505) 884-0777
Established
1959
Cristy J. Carbon-Gaul leads a firm focused exclusively on estate planning and related matters with over 20 years of experience. The firm serves clients throughout New Mexico, from Albuquerque to Las Cruces.
Location
10143 4th St NWAlbuquerque, NM 87114
Phone
(505) 899-5696
Service Area
Statewide
The oldest law firm in New Mexico, founded in 1866 by Thomas B. Catron, who became New Mexico's first United States Senator in 1912. Fletcher R. Catron is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
Location
2006 Botulph RdSanta Fe, NM 87505
Phone
(505) 982-1947
Established
1866
Founded in Santa Fe in 1917, Cuddy & McCarthy has been a full-service law firm for over 100 years, providing comprehensive estate planning services to help individuals and families prepare for the future.
Location
1701 Old Pecos TrailSanta Fe, NM 87505
Phone
(505) 988-4476
Established
1917
Service Area
Statewide
Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam is a Texas-based firm that opened a Hobbs, New Mexico office in 2018 to serve Lea County and southeastern New Mexico. Kathleen A. Moran practices in corporate law, business transactions, probate, estate administration, and estate planning.
Location
726 East Michigan, Suite 330Hobbs, NM 88240
Phone
(575) 305-7590