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Minnesota follows the "reasonable compensation" standard for trusteesMinn. Stat. § 501C.0708Verified 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 Minnesota trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in Minnesota is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 4 months in Minnesota — 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 Minnesota trustee checklist for the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in Minnesota average $345 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,035–$2,070 for a simple individual will and $3,530–$5,295 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.
Minnesota allows estates under $75,000 to use a simplified Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property 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 Minnesota probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In Minnesota, 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; estates near or above the Minnesota estate tax threshold; 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.
13 firms
Practicing law in the Walker and Longville area since 1980. Primary focus on estate planning, trusts, probate, conservatorships/guardianships, real estate, and business law. Services include wills, trusts, estate tax considerations, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and business succession.
Location
322 Railroad Ave WWalker, MN 56484
Phone
(218) 547-1319
Established
1980
Service Area
1 county
The Blethen and Berens firms have collectively served southern Minnesota for over 120 years, with the Mankato predecessor dating to 1896 and the New Ulm predecessor serving for 90+ years. Merged in 2018. Nine attorneys handle estate planning, probate, and trust litigation matters.
Location
100 Warren Street, Suite 400Mankato, MN 56001
Phone
(507) 345-1166
Established
1896
Service Area
3 counties
Multigenerational St. Paul law firm serving clients throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin with estate planning, probate and trust administration, probate and trust litigation, and asset protection planning. Attorneys collectively bring over 100 years of combined experience across four decades of practice.
Location
332 Minnesota Street, Suite W2610St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone
(651) 228-0497
Founded in 1893, Fryberger is one of the largest law firms in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities with 8 estate planning attorneys. AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell with 11 attorneys on Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists and attorneys named to Best Lawyers in America. Licensed in MN, WI, ND, AZ, and CA. Serves clients across four office locations.
Location
302 W Superior St, Suite 700Duluth, MN 55802
Phone
(218) 722-0861
Established
1893
Service Area
Statewide
Established Minneapolis law firm excelling at estate planning, trust, and probate services since 1976. Handles both simple and complex estates and trusts, including transferring assets, minimizing taxes, litigating disputes, and business succession planning. Ranked by Chambers USA.
Location
225 South 6th Street, Suite 1600Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone
(612) 339-2500
Established
1976
Serves Renville County and the surrounding farm country from its Olivia office, handling probate, living-trust-based probate avoidance, personal-representative and guardian selection, and family-business succession. The firm pairs estate work with agricultural and real estate practice common to area landowners. A case evaluation is offered by phone, video, or in person.
Location
107 North 9th StreetOlivia, MN 56277
Phone
(320) 523-1322
Established
1916
Service Area
4 counties
Lathrop GPM is a multi-office firm whose Saint Cloud team serves Central Minnesota with personal estate planning and business and succession planning services. The Saint Cloud office is staffed by partners and associates handling trusts, estates, and related tax planning matters for individuals, families, and closely held businesses.
Location
1010 West Saint Germain, Suite 500Saint Cloud, MN 56301
Phone
(320) 252-4414
Service Area
3 counties
Established in 1883, Pemberton Law is one of the oldest law firms in Minnesota. Four office locations across West Central Minnesota cover Alexandria, Fergus Falls, Detroit Lakes, and Wadena. Notable alumni include Roger L. Dell, who became Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Location
110 North Mill StreetFergus Falls, MN 56537
Phone
(218) 736-5493
Established
1883
Service Area
4 counties
St. Cloud firm with deep experience in estate law matters involving estates of all sizes and complexities. Handles estate and trust planning, litigation, and administration. Also strong in agricultural law, insurance litigation, and commercial law.
Location
4140 Thielman Lane, Suite 110St. Cloud, MN 56301
Phone
(320) 251-1055
Service Area
1 county
Serves the Twin Cities metro from Bloomington with a practice focused on estate planning. Handles wills, trusts, probate and trust administration, health care directives, estate tax planning, and business succession. Gold Winner of the 2025 Minnesota's Best Reader's Choice Award for estate planning, and offers a free initial consultation.
Location
3500 American Blvd W, Suite 190Bloomington, MN 55431
Phone
(612) 448-3898