Required for attorneysProbate filings are e-filed through eFileIL by attorneys and self-represented filers alike. An original will cannot be e-filed and is filed with the clerk on paper. A self-represented filer without home internet access, an email account, or a credit card or bank account can file on paper after filing the Certification for Exemption From E-filing. On paper: Original wills, which are filed with the clerk on paper (Ill. S. Ct. R. 9(c)(1)).
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In Knox County, probate runs through the Circuit Court at 200 South Cherry Street, Galesburg. The court sits in the 9th Judicial Circuit. The same 9th Judicial Circuit also serves Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, McDonough and Warren.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Illinois intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Illinois estates take 9 months to 14 months to move through this process. Creditors have 6 months755 ILCS 5/18-3, 5/18-10, 5/18-11, 5/18-12Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Knox County
What probate costs in Knox County, Illinois comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Circuit Court at 200 South Cherry Street, Galesburg. The court is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: A case inactive for a year, or with no verified account within 60 days after the first year, can be moved to inactive status.
Illinois caps the clerk's filing fee for a decedent's estate at $266, or $362 in Cook County, with the amount set by each county board. The $100 guardianship and advocacy fee that counties added through June 2026 has been repealed. Most county schedules issued since then post totals from $256 to $314, and publication is paid to the newspaper directly705 ILCS 105/27.1b(a)(2) (Clerks of Courts Act, as last amended by P.A. 104-468, eff. 7-1-26); former 705 ILCS 105/27.3f repealed by P.A. 104-468, eff. 7-1-26Verified Oct 17, 2026View source. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Illinois are negotiated, typically 1.9%Modeled estimate under 755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3%Modeled estimate under 755 ILCS 5/27-2 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Illinois allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay755 ILCS 5/27-1 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Illinois requires publishing notice to creditors in a local newspaper, and the estate pays for it.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%Industry surety premium estimate; the bond itself under 755 ILCS 5/12-2 (bond required), 5/12-4 (security excused by will)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Illinois typically runs 9 months to 14 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Circuit Court
Probate cases in Knox County, Illinois are filed at the Circuit Court. The court sits in the 9th Judicial Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists a separate line for Probate.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Illinois, informal probate is not available755 ILCS 5/6-4, 5/9-4 (court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk informal appointment)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Document Requirements
A handwritten will is filed with a typewritten copy, and a will in another language with a certified translation.
Under Ninth Judicial Circuit Rule 9.10, the petition to admit a handwritten will includes the original will, a typewritten copy and an affidavit that the copy is correct.
The first inventory is filed within 60 days after letters issue, and a safe deposit box is listed with an itemized statement of its contents.
Under Ninth Judicial Circuit Rules 9.25 and 9.30, a box found after the inventory is filed goes on a supplemental inventory within 30 days, and real estate is described by address, legal description and permanent index number. Independent administration is excepted from filing.
Filed with the opening petition at the Circuit Court: Copy of the death certificate, which the Cook County Clerk asks for when the will is filed; the Probate Act and the court rules do not require one, and a plain copy serves; Original will and any codicils, filed with the clerk on paper (755 ILCS 5/6-1 "Immediately upon the death of the testator any person who has the testator's will in his possession shall file it with the clerk of the court of the proper county"; Ill. S. Ct. R. 9(c)(1) excepts original wills from e-filing entirely — they "may not be electronically filed")755 ILCS 5/6-2, 5/6-8 (admit will & issue letters testamentary); 755 ILCS 5/9-3, 5/9-4 (letters of administration & preference); 755 ILCS 5/12-2 to 12-5 (oath & bond); 755 ILCS 5/28-2 (independent administration); 755 ILCS 5/6-13, 5/9-1 (who may act)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Knox County
In Illinois a death is registered locally, and in Knox County certified copies of the death certificate are issued by Knox County Clerk & Recorder as well as by Illinois Department of Public Health - Division of Vital Records.
An online order is paid through Illinois E-Pay, and the identification goes to the office by email or fax. Copies are mailed to the address on the identification unless a piece of mail shows the correct one.
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the County Clerk and Recorder.
Deeds and other real property documents for Knox County are recorded with the County Clerk and Recorder at 200 South Cherry Street, 3rd Floor, Galesburg, IL 61401. Phone: 1-309-345-6718. Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
The County Clerk and Recorder charges $82 flat, regardless of page count.
Knox County accepts electronic recording through CSC, Simplifile and ePN.
Illinois allows independent administration755 ILCS 5/28-1, 5/28-2 (independent administration granted unless the will forbids it or an interested person objects)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so the personal representative manages, pays and distributes the estate without returning to the court for approval at each step. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Illinois are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Knox County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Circuit Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Galesburg practice serving Knox County and surrounding counties with probate and estate administration, estate planning, and real estate transactions. Principal attorney Patrick Egan also handles contested estates and guardianships, backed by a legal assistant with decades of estate administration experience. Egan founded the firm with the late Dan Stoerzbach in October 2020.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationConservatorshipand 2 more
Peoria firm serving Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Fulton, Knox, and McLean counties, with a second office in Morton. Represents executors, administrators, trustees, and beneficiaries in probate court administration, fiduciary and estate tax returns, small estate affidavits, and estate claims. Also handles guardianships, special needs trusts, and Medicaid planning.
PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more
La Salle firm serving the Illinois Valley, traced to a sole practice James Eugene Malone opened in La Salle circa 1909 and formerly Herbolsheimer, Duncan, Eiten & Hintz. Handles probate administration, will and trust contests, and guardianships. John S. Duncan counsels on advanced estate tax planning, marital and bypass trusts, and estate tax return preparation.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationTax Planningand 4 more
Rock Island solo practice serving Rock Island County and the Quad Cities. Attorney Philip Koenig handles wills, trusts, probate, and estate administration, including estate-tax, property, and litigated estate issues. Recognized as an Illinois Leading Lawyer every year since 2003.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbateProbate LitigationElder Lawand 3 more
Office
1515 Fourth Avenue, Suite 201Rock Island, IL 61201
Serves Champaign and McLean counties from offices in Champaign and Bloomington. Its estate and trust group handles estate administration and probate alongside estate and charitable gift planning, with eight attorneys in the practice, two of them at the Bloomington office.
Woodford County firm based in Eureka since its founding by Don B. Pioletti Sr. in 1938, with offices in Bloomington, Peoria, Springfield, and Kankakee. Drafts wills, living and life insurance trusts, special needs trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives, and handles creditor claims, fiduciary litigation, trust contests, and guardianships.
PracticesEstate PlanningProbate LitigationConservatorshipGuardianshipand 2 more
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Data sourced from Illinois statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Illinois
Free tools for settling an estate in Illinois: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Illinois.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Illinois: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 60 days755 ILCS 5/14-1Verified Oct 10, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 6 months755 ILCS 5/18-3, 5/18-10, 5/18-11, 5/18-12Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Illinois happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust Code760 ILCS 3/101 et seq.Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 90 days760 ILCS 3/813.1Verified Oct 10, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Illinois, informal probate is not available755 ILCS 5/6-4, 5/9-4 (court admits the will and issues letters; no registrar/clerk informal appointment)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, so self-filing means a formal court petition rather than a registrar filing.
Enter the estate value to see Illinois attorney fees, executor fees, court costs and the timeline.
Examples:
General information about probate costs, not legal or financial advice. Fee bases vary by state and may use gross estate, personal property, inventory value or net property after debts. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
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See whether you can file probate yourself
Enter the estate value to see whether Illinois lets a self-represented person open probate, what the court requires, and what each route costs.
General information about filing probate without a lawyer, not legal advice. Both routes are priced by the probate cost estimator on the same estate; the attorney fee is the one line that differs. Actual costs vary by county, attorney and estate complexity. Consult a licensed attorney for legal questions.
