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Nebraska follows the "reasonable compensation" standard for trusteesNeb. Rev. Stat. §§ 30-3864, 30-3865Verified Jun 1, 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 Nebraska trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in Nebraska is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 12 months in Nebraska — 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 Nebraska trustee checklist for the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in Nebraska average $308 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $924–$1,848 for a simple individual will and $3,190–$4,785 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.
Nebraska has a generous small-estate threshold of $100,000. Estates under that line can use the Small Estate Affidavit 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 Nebraska probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.
In Nebraska, 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; leaving meaningful sums to non-spouse, non-child beneficiaries (Nebraska taxes those inheritances); substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 3,941 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.
18 firms
Boutique estate and business firm in Lincoln working in the Lancaster County courts. The team handles will and trust administration, guides fiduciaries through probate, and manages estate transfers ranging from simple wills to tax-driven planning for larger estates. Trusts and estates is one of its two core focus areas alongside business and commercial law.
Location
3701 Union Drive, Suite 200Lincoln, NE 68516
Phone
(402) 420-6091
Service Area
3 counties
One of the longest-established firms in the Nebraska Panhandle, serving Dawes County and the Chadron region from offices at 201 E. 3rd Street. Attorneys Matthew Watson, Amy Patras, and Andrew Pope handle estate planning, wills and trusts, estate administration, and guardianships. Operates publicly as Chadron Law.
Location
201 E. 3rd StreetChadron, NE 69337
Phone
(308) 432-3339
Established
1887
Service Area
4 counties
Ralston firm in the Omaha metro focused on estate planning, trusts, and probate, with Charles Dorwart practicing in the area for decades. Drafts and maintains estate plans and handles probate administration under its LifePlan Nebraska program. Offers a free 30-minute in-home or in-office initial consultation.
Location
7305 Main StreetRalston, NE 68127
Phone
(402) 558-1404
Service Area
2 counties
Founded by experienced estate planning attorney Anne Burnett, the firm provides estate planning, probate and trust administration, elder law, and business planning services throughout Nebraska and western Iowa.
Location
17525 Arbor StreetOmaha, NE 68130
Phone
(402) 810-8611
Service Area
3 counties
Scottsbluff firm serving estate clients across the Nebraska panhandle, operating publicly as Panhandle Justice. Handles will and trust creation, probate, and trust administration for area families. Thomas Holyoke is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a Super Lawyers honoree in estate planning and probate.
Location
1714 Second AvenueScottsbluff, NE 69361
Phone
(308) 635-5000
Service Area
7 counties
The attorneys at Copple, Rockey, Schlecht & Mason serve Norfolk and surrounding communities with experienced estate planning, estate administration, and probate services. Additional office in Omaha.
Location
2425 Taylor AvenueNorfolk, NE 68702
Phone
(402) 371-4300
Service Area
5 counties
Omaha firm founded in 1898 with one of Nebraska's larger trusts and estates groups, serving families across the state. Handles probate, trust administration, estate planning, and trust and estate litigation, advising personal representatives, trustees, and other fiduciaries. Daniel J. Wintz is a Certified Estate Planning Law Specialist.
Location
500 Energy Plaza, 409 South 17th StreetOmaha, NE 68102
Phone
(402) 341-6000
Established
1898
Service Area
3 counties
Beatrice firm in Gage County and successor to the Law Offices of Merrell Andersen, serving southeast Nebraska and northern Kansas. Estate-side work includes probate and trust administration, estate planning, and guardianships and conservatorships, along with preservation of family farms. David Lepant leads the estate practice.
Location
119 North 5th StreetBeatrice, NE 68310
Phone
(402) 969-6199
Service Area
6 counties
Focuses on Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate, and Trust Administration in Omaha, Nebraska. Led by attorney Sam O'Neill. Offers free consultations by phone, Zoom, or in person.
Location
12020 Shamrock Plaza, Suite 200Omaha, NE 68154
Phone
(402) 994-9455
Service Area
2 counties
Kearney firm serving Buffalo County and central Nebraska, established in 1932. Handles wills, trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, probate, and trust administration, plus business-succession planning. Luke Zinnell is regularly appointed Guardian Ad Litem in Buffalo County probate matters.
Location
1516 1st AvenueKearney, NE 68848
Phone
(308) 237-2114
Established
1932
Service Area
5 counties