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Arkansas follows the "reasonable compensation" standard for trusteesArk. Code Ann. § 28-73-708Verified May 31, 2026. Courts decide what's reasonable on a case-by-case basis, looking at trust size, complexity, and the trustee's actual work. Family-member trustees often waive the fee entirely. Professional trustees (banks, trust companies, attorneys) typically charge between 0.5% and 1.5% of trust assets per year, with corporate fiduciaries usually applying minimum annual fees. The Arkansas trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in Arkansas is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 6 months in Arkansas — during which the trustee can't safely make final distributions. Simple trusts often wrap up in 6-9 months; trusts that hold business interests, real property in multiple states, or that need to file estate tax returns can take longer. See the Arkansas trustee checklist for the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in Arkansas average $314 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $942–$1,884 for a simple individual will and $2,890–$4,335 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.
Arkansas has a generous small-estate threshold of $100,000. Estates under that line can use the Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee procedure, which is a form rather than a court case — most families can handle it without an attorney. For estates above the threshold, formal probate generally benefits from counsel because of the procedural overhead, even when nothing is contested. The Arkansas probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.
In Arkansas, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; 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 4,003 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.
81 firms
Fort Smith firm serving Sebastian County and the Arkansas River Valley, with attorney John D. Alford in practice for over 36 years. Handles wills, trusts, and probate administration alongside a business and real estate practice, helping families move assets through Sebastian County probate court. Licensed in Arkansas, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania.
Location
6804 Rogers Ave BFort Smith, AR 72903
Phone
(479) 494-5682
Service Area
1 county
Siloam Springs firm with a second office in Bentonville, serving Benton County families in northwest Arkansas. Attorney David A. Bailey handles wills, trusts, and estate planning along with probate, and is fluent in Spanish. In practice since 1996, licensed in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Location
206 E. University StreetSiloam Springs, AR 72761
Phone
(479) 524-4156
Service Area
1 county
Hot Springs firm focused almost entirely on estate planning and probate for families in Garland County and Hot Springs Village. Attorneys Karen Baim Reagler, Ashley Naramore, and Wade Naramore handle wills, trusts, probate, guardianship, special-needs planning, and durable powers of attorney, with a combined 65 years of experience.
Location
307 Carpenter Dam Road, Suite BHot Springs, AR 71901
Phone
(501) 609-9800
Service Area
1 county
Fayetteville firm with a second Fort Smith office, serving Washington and Sebastian counties across northwest Arkansas. Attorney Stanley Bond concentrates on probate and estate administration, including small-estate administration under $100,000, trust administration, executor services, and powers of attorney. Offers free one-hour consultations by phone, video, or in office.
Location
525 S School Ave, Ste 100Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone
(479) 777-4773
Service Area
2 counties
Searcy firm serving White and Cleburne counties in the White River region. Founding attorney Buck C. Gibson handles estate planning, estate administration, and probate alongside real estate and business law, drawing on decades of local practice. Schedules confidential consultations.
Location
100 North Spring StreetSearcy, AR 72143
Phone
(501) 268-4420
Service Area
2 counties
Harrison elder-law firm serving Boone, Marion, Newton, Searcy, and Carroll counties in the White River region. Attorney James Burrus handles probate, estate administration, trust administration, guardianship, and Medicaid estate planning for families. Offers free initial consultations in person or by phone.
Location
324 W. Ridge Ave.Harrison, AR 72601
Phone
(870) 517-5444
Service Area
5 counties
Little Rock firm serving Pulaski County and central Arkansas courts since 1990, best known for personal injury and complex litigation but with a working estate practice. For families settling an estate, handles probate and estate administration, wills and trusts, and the appointment of personal representatives. Long-tenured paralegal support on estate and probate matters dating to 1999.
Location
500 Pleasant Valley Drive, Building CLittle Rock, AR 72227
Phone
(501) 221-0444
Service Area
Statewide
Little Rock firm on Cantrell Road handling probate and estate administration in Pulaski County and courts statewide. Walks executors through will validation, appointment of personal representatives, asset inventory and valuation, creditor claims, and final distribution under Arkansas law. Offers remote consultations by Skype, Zoom, or FaceTime in addition to in-person meetings.
Location
8114 Cantrell Road, Suite 100Little Rock, AR 72227
Phone
(501) 313-4967
Established
2012
Service Area
Statewide
Van Buren firm (with a Springdale office) serving Crawford County families on estate and probate matters alongside its bankruptcy and criminal work. Handles wills, powers of attorney, living trusts, and what happens when someone dies without a will. Phone line answered 24/7.
Location
1017 Fayetteville Rd, Suite BVan Buren, AR 72956
Phone
(479) 345-5194
Service Area
1 county
Fayetteville Square firm (founded 1953) serving Washington, Benton, Carroll and Madison County families for over 60 years. Handles estate and probate administration plus estate and trust litigation, including contested matters, alongside its tax and real estate work. Every partner is AV-Preeminent rated; listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.
Location
75 N. East Avenue, Suite 402Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone
(479) 521-7600
Service Area
4 counties