New Mexico follows the reasonable-compensation standard for trusteesN.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 46A-7-708, 46A-7-709Verified Sep 18, 2026View source. A court decides what is reasonable case by case, on the trust's size, its complexity and the trustee's actual work. A family-member trustee often waives the fee. A professional trustee (a bank, a trust company, an attorney) typically charges 0.5% to 1.5% of trust assets a year, and a corporate fiduciary applies an annual minimum. The New Mexico trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in New Mexico is typically faster than probate because a trust needs no court supervision. There is no court-supervised creditor period — the trustee distributes once known debts are settled, subject to New Mexico's general limitations period. A simple trust often wraps up in six to nine months; a trust holding a business interest, real property in more than one state, or one that files an estate tax return takes longer. The New Mexico trust settlement plan carries the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in New Mexico average $321Clio Compare Lawyer Rates, New Mexico: Wills and Estates rate (2025 data)Verified Oct 15, 2026View source an hour for wills and estates work. A flat-fee package runs $963Estimate: 3 hours at $321, Clio's New Mexico Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $1,926Estimate: 6 hours at $321, Clio's New Mexico Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for a simple individual will and $3,510Estimate: 10 hours at $351, Clio's New Mexico Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,265Estimate: 15 hours at $351, Clio's New Mexico Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for a basic revocable trust. An online service prices the same documents in the tens to low hundreds of dollars; the New Mexico will cost calculator sets the two side by side.
In New Mexico, estates valued at $50,000§ 45-3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Small Estate Affidavit§ 45-3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 days§ 45-3-1201Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death. That route is a form rather than a court case, and most families handle it without an attorney. Above the line, formal probate generally benefits from counsel for the procedural work, even when nothing is contested. The New Mexico probate calculator estimates the cost by estate value.
In New Mexico, the situations where counsel is typically worth the cost are: a blended family with children from a prior relationship (community property rulesNMSA § 45-2-102Verified Oct 21, 2026View source can produce a surprising split); a business, rental property or significant investment assets; a dependent with special needs, who needs a special-needs trust to keep benefits; substantial property in more than one state. Where none of these apply, an online or self-help document is often enough.
Free New Mexico forms for planning an estate or settling one: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed, and the probate forms an executor files.
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
In New Mexico, a pour-over will is signed before 2NMSA § 45-2-502Verified Oct 19, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in New Mexico: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.
Settling a trust in New Mexico happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeNMSA 1978 § 46A-1-101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysNMSA § 46A-8-813; § 46A-10-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
In New Mexico, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent)N.M. Stat. Ann. §§ 46A-7-708, 46A-7-709Verified Sep 18, 2026View source unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.
Settling an estate in New Mexico: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysNMSA § 45-3-706Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsNMSA §§ 45-3-801, 45-3-803, 45-3-806, 45-3-1006Verified Oct 19, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 4 months to 6 months.
New Mexico requires a final state income tax return for the decedent alongside the federal Form 1040N.M. Stat. Ann. § 7-2-7(B) (as amended by HB252, 2024, Laws 2024 Ch. 67 § 5)Verified Sep 20, 2026View source; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,00026 USC 2001(c), 2010; P.L. 119-21 §70106Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Inherited assets in New Mexico take a basis reset to fair market value on the date of death26 USC § 1014Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the gain on a later sale faces ordinary income tax at the state's regular rates, after the first $2,500 of gain is excludedNMSA 1978 § 7-2-34 (as amended by Laws 2024, Ch. 67 / HB 252 § 8)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
17 trust administration firms in New Mexico, by county and firm type.
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.
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17 firms
Solo PracticeAlbuquerque, NM
Bruce J. Puma Jr. established Albuquerque Legal & Fiduciary in 2015. As both an attorney and a CPA, he has an extensive background in accounting and law, providing estate planning and fiduciary services.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianshipFiduciary Services
Solo PracticeAlbuquerque, NM
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.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateIrrevocable Trustsand 2 more
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
Albuquerque firm serving Bernalillo County and clients across New Mexico since 1959. Its commercial section handles wills, estate planning, and probate, backed by a large civil-litigation bench when an estate turns contested.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationWills
FirmSanta Fe, NM
Serves Santa Fe and Albuquerque from offices in both cities, with statewide reach. Handles estate planning, probate, trust administration, and fiduciary matters. Founded in Santa Fe in 1917.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateFiduciary Mattersand 2 more
Solo PracticeLas Cruces, NM
Serves Doña Ana County and southern New Mexico from Las Cruces. Focuses on elder law and estate planning — Medicaid planning, guardianships and conservatorships, probate, and trust administration — after 30 years in practice. Michele Ungvarsky is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 3 more
FirmSanta Fe, NM
Serves Santa Fe County and north-central New Mexico from Santa Fe, with a second office in Albuquerque. Handles estate planning, trust administration and probate, plus adult guardianship and conservatorship and special-needs planning for families managing an incapacitated relative.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 4 more
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
Serves Bernalillo County and clients across New Mexico from Albuquerque. Handles estate and trust administration, probate, guardianships and conservatorships, and fiduciary litigation, including tax and estate disputes between beneficiaries and personal representatives.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
Founded in 1915 as Keleher & McLeod, the firm merged with Waterfall, Economidis, Caldwell, Hanshaw & Villamana to form JKW Lawyers. Its Estate Planning, Probate & Administration group staffs two estate attorneys in the Albuquerque office and handles post-death administration for personal representatives and trustees, including will and trust contests and accounting disputes.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTrustsWills
FirmRio Rancho, NM
Lovato Law is an estate planning and elder law firm specializing in wills, trusts, Medicaid planning, probate, and trust administration, serving the Albuquerque area from their Rio Rancho location.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder LawMedicaid Planning
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
Serves Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and clients statewide from offices in both cities. Handles the full arc of an estate — will and trust drafting, probate and estate administration, state and federal estate tax returns, and multistate proceedings where the decedent owned property outside New Mexico. Two shareholders are Fellows of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 2 more
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
New Mexico Legal Group has served New Mexico families with estate planning and probate administration for over 23 years. The firm maintains offices in both Albuquerque and Las Cruces, serving clients statewide.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTrustsWills
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
Serves Albuquerque and Santa Fe from offices in both cities, reaching clients statewide. Handles wills and trusts, probate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and fiduciary litigation. A women-owned, women-led firm.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more
Solo PracticeClovis, NM
Serves Curry County and eastern New Mexico from Clovis. Handles estate planning, probate, trust administration, and guardianship. Licensed in both New Mexico and Texas, which helps where a Clovis-area estate holds property across the Texas line.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianship
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
Serves Albuquerque and Santa Fe from offices in both cities, reaching clients statewide. Handles estate planning, probate and trust administration, and contested trust and estate litigation. One of New Mexico's largest and longest-established firms, founded in 1883.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 2 more
FirmAlbuquerque, NM
A boutique estate practice serving Bernalillo County from Albuquerque. Handles estate planning, probate and trust administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and Medicaid planning, including multi-state and nonresident decedent estates. Offers home visits for clients who cannot travel to the office.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 6 more
Solo PracticeLas Cruces, NM
Serves Las Cruces and southern New Mexico with wills, trusts, probate, and trust administration. Founded in 2020 by Jessica Streeter, a former Third Judicial District Court judge and Las Cruces municipal judge. A free 15-minute case review precedes the paid initial consultation, whose fee is credited toward the work.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTrustsWills
Solo PracticeSanta Fe, NM
Serves Santa Fe County and northern New Mexico from Santa Fe. Handles estate planning, probate and trust administration, and contested probate and trust litigation. Offers free consultations.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation