© 2026 SimplyTrust Software Inc.
Pennsylvania follows the "reasonable compensation" standard for trustees20 Pa.C.S. § 7768Verified May 27, 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 Pennsylvania trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in Pennsylvania is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 12 months in Pennsylvania — 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 Pennsylvania trustee checklist for the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in Pennsylvania average $338 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,014–$2,028 for a simple individual will and $3,830–$5,745 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.
Pennsylvania allows estates under $50,000 to use a simplified small estate affidavit 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 Pennsylvania probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In Pennsylvania, 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 (Pennsylvania 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.
19 firms
Full-service law firm with 130+ attorneys across multiple offices providing trusts and estates services including estate planning, estate administration, tax planning, and probate litigation.
Location
126 East King StreetLancaster, PA 17602
Phone
(717) 299-5201
Service Area
7 counties
Provides estate planning services to clients in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, Doylestown and surrounding areas since 1985. Prepares wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, living wills, and powers of attorney.
Location
1 South 3rd StreetEaston, PA 18042
Phone
(610) 258-9493
Established
1985
Service Area
4 counties
Full-service Media firm with a dedicated Trusts & Estates department handling wills, revocable trusts, estate tax planning, probate administration, guardianships, and Orphans' Court litigation for Delaware County clients.
Location
300 West State Street, Suite 300Media, PA 19063
Phone
(610) 565-3700
Established
1917
Service Area
4 counties
Steven J. Fromm has been a tax, estate planning, probate and estate administration attorney in Philadelphia and its outlying counties for over 47 years. Holds an LL.M. in taxation from NYU Graduate Division School of Law and is a licensed CPA.
Location
1420 Walnut Street, Suite 300Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone
(215) 735-2336
Service Area
5 counties
Veteran-owned estate planning firm serving Western Pennsylvania with offices in Erie, Butler, Cranberry Township, Franklin, and Greenville. Provides asset protection, guardianships, Medicaid planning, and estate planning services.
Location
318 South Main StreetButler, PA 16001
Phone
(724) 841-0004
Service Area
7 counties
Six-attorney boutique firm with over two decades of experience providing estate planning and probate services. Main office in Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square with meeting locations across multiple counties and throughout New Jersey and New York City.
Location
2202 Delancey PlacePhiladelphia, PA 19103
Phone
(215) 790-1095
Service Area
5 counties
One of only a few law firms in Pennsylvania certified by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the specialty of Elder Law. Provides trust and estate planning services throughout the Lehigh Valley.
Location
2551 Baglyos Circle, Suite A-14Bethlehem, PA 18020
Phone
(610) 694-9455
Service Area
4 counties
Boutique State College firm blending estate planning attorneys and tax professionals. Provides comprehensive estate planning, elder law, and fiduciary services to Centre County and surrounding areas.
Location
1500 W College AveState College, PA 16801
Phone
(814) 231-1391
Service Area
1 county
Represented families, businesses, and individuals in Erie since 1897. Estate and trust lawyers team serves all counties of northwestern Pennsylvania, aiming to conserve family wealth during transfer and minimize loss from taxes.
Location
300 State Street, Suite 300Erie, PA 16507
Phone
(814) 456-5301
Established
1897
Service Area
8 counties
Full-service firm with offices in Harrisburg and Lancaster whose Estate Planning Group works with clients and their other professional advisors to develop customized estate plans that reduce taxes, preserve assets, and carry out legacies.
Location
100 Pine StreetHarrisburg, PA 17101
Phone
(717) 232-8000
Service Area
4 counties