Harvey & Battey has served the Beaufort Lowcountry since 1922, providing estate planning, probate, and tax planning services. Colden R. Battey Jr. received the 2024 Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina's highest civilian honor.
Probate in Colleton County
Probate Court Record
Colleton County Probate Court
Colleton County
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Self-represented filing
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How to file probate in Colleton County →
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Do I need a lawyer for probate in Colleton County? →Settling an estate in Colleton County →
Probate Firms Serving Colleton County
Bluffton firm serving Beaufort, Bluffton, Hardeeville, and Hilton Head. Drafts wills, revocable living trusts, financial and healthcare powers of attorney, and living wills, and guides personal representatives through probate and estate administration.
Clark & Stevens has served Hilton Head Island and the Lowcountry for over 30 years. The firm handles estate planning, wills, family trusts, living wills, medical powers of attorney, probate, long-term care planning, tax planning, and asset protection.
Evans, Carter, Kunes & Bennett is located in the heart of downtown Charleston. With over 100 years of collective experience in taxation and estate tax planning, the attorneys assist clients in income taxation, estate planning, probate, trust law and charitable organizations. Each attorney holds a Masters of Law in Taxation or Estate Planning.
Mount Pleasant firm practicing in estate planning and probate law, serving clients throughout the Charleston and Lowcountry regions. Practice covers wills and trusts, probate and administration, and powers of attorney.
Jolley Law Group serves Beaufort County and the Lowcountry from Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, and Beaufort, plus Columbia. Its probate practice guides personal representatives through asset inventories and appraisals, creditor notices, debts and taxes, and distributions, and handles will challenges. John M. Jolley is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
All 18 South Carolina probate firms serving Colleton County →
Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in South Carolina
Free South Carolina forms to plan or settle an estate: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed and the probate forms. Prepare each form for South Carolina.
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Last Will and Testament
In South Carolina, a will is signed before 2S.C. Code § 62-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyS.C. Code § 62-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source.
Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in South Carolina
Free calculators and checklists to plan or settle an estate in South Carolina: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay and taxes. Run each tool.
How Much Does Probate Cost?
Probate on a $500,000 estate in South Carolina costs an estimated $27,462S.C. Code § 62-3-721 (compensation of any person the PR employs, including an attorney); § 62-1-111 (costs and attorney's fees in a formal proceeding); § 62-3-720 (litigation expenses)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Attorney fees run 2.1%Modeled estimate under S.C. Code § 62-3-721 (compensation of any person the PR employs, including an attorney); § 62-1-111 (costs and attorney's fees in a formal proceeding); § 62-3-720 (litigation expenses): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.3%Modeled estimate under S.C. Code § 62-3-721 (compensation of any person the PR employs, including an attorney); § 62-1-111 (costs and attorney's fees in a formal proceeding); § 62-3-720 (litigation expenses): 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.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in South Carolina: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysS.C. Code §§ 62-3-706, 62-3-707, 62-3-708Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 8 monthsSC Code §§ 62-3-801, 62-3-803, 62-3-805, 62-3-806Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
How Much Can an Executor Charge?
South Carolina pays executors reasonable compensationS.C. Code § 62-3-719 (up to 5% of personal property + real property sale proceeds; min $50; court may authorize above 5% for extraordinary services)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.
Do I Need Probate?
In South Carolina, estates valued at $45,000S.C. Code § 62-3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less use the Small Estate AffidavitS.C. Code § 62-3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 daysS.C. Code § 62-3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death, a court filing short of full probate.
What Are the Creditor Claim Deadlines?
In South Carolina, creditors have 8 monthsS.C. Code § 62-3-803Verified Sep 8, 2026View source from first publication of the creditor notice to present claims; late claims are barred.
Can I Self-File Probate?
South Carolina has no statewide fill-in probate petition, so the opening petition is drafted as a legal pleading, and informal probate is availableS.C. Code § 62-3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
