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North Dakota follows the "reasonable compensation" standard for trusteesN.D. Cent. Code §§ 59-15-08, 59-15-09Verified 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 North Dakota trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in North Dakota is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 3 months in North Dakota — 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 North Dakota trustee checklist for the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in North Dakota average $319 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $957–$1,914 for a simple individual will and $3,540–$5,310 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.
North Dakota 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 North Dakota probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.
In North Dakota, 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 4,004 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.
40 firms
Serving the Fargo-Moorhead area for more than 43 years. Advises individuals regarding real estate, estate planning, probate, family law, agricultural law, and other legal matters. Estate planning includes preparation of wills, durable powers of attorney, and health care directives.
Location
4132 30th Avenue South, Suite 100Fargo, ND 58104
Phone
(701) 235-3300
Established
1981
Fargo estate planning law firm specializing in wills, trusts, powers of attorney, guardianship and conservatorship, estate and probate administration, probate litigation, will contests, health care directives, and business law.
Location
5195 45th Street South, Suite 200Fargo, ND 58104
Phone
(701) 356-1287
Founded in 1932, Camrud, Maddock, Olson & Larson, Ltd. delivers trusted counsel across North Dakota and Minnesota in business, litigation, family, real estate, and estate planning.
Location
401 DeMers Avenue, Suite 500Grand Forks, ND 58201
Phone
(701) 775-5595
Established
1932
Chad Anderson Law Firm specializes in probate, estate planning, and real estate services in Bismarck, helping clients with probate avoidance strategies and comprehensive estate plans.
Location
120 North 3rd Street, Suite 210Bismarck, ND 58501
Phone
(701) 214-5277
Founded in 1879, Conmy Feste Ltd. attorneys have decades of experience protecting the wealth and assets of clients in Fargo-Moorhead, providing services including comprehensive evaluations, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care declarations, and asset management.
Location
3369 45th Street SouthFargo, ND 58104
Phone
(701) 353-0454
Established
1879
Established in 1895 with over 150 lawyers practicing from 11 offices in 3 states. The Bismarck office is the largest in North Dakota with 24 lawyers. Estate planning attorneys assist with estate and succession planning, tax minimization, and trust administration.
Location
100 West Broadway Avenue, Suite 250Bismarck, ND 58502
Phone
(701) 223-6585
Established
1895
Service Area
Statewide
Formerly Zimney Foster P.C. (established 1932), Dakota Law Group provides personalized estate planning services, working closely with clients and their financial and tax advisors to develop customized strategies.
Location
3770 S Washington Street, Suite BGrand Forks, ND 58201
Phone
(701) 772-8111
Established
1932
Demakis Law drafts thorough estate plans for North Dakota families, with significant experience in estate and probate matters, including mineral trusts and revocable living trusts.
Location
1408 20th Avenue SW, Suite 11Minot, ND 58702
Phone
(701) 838-2080
Ebeltoft Sickler Lawyers is a regional firm in Dickinson serving North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. Attorney Marissa Cerkoney is a Certified Farm Succession Coordinator voted Best Estate Planning Attorney in the 2024 Best of the Western Edge.
Location
2272 8th Street WestDickinson, ND 58601
Phone
(701) 225-5297
Fredrikson & Byron offers sophisticated estate planning services in North Dakota. The Fargo trusts and estates practice is nationally recognized by Chambers High Net Worth Guide, with three attorneys named Fellows of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
Location
51 Broadway North, Suite 400Fargo, ND 58102
Phone
(701) 237-8200