What to Do When Someone Dies in Worcester County, Massachusetts
Probate in Worcester County runs through the Probate and Family Court: prove the will, settle the debts, and pass the house to the heirs. Here is how the local process works—and what each step actually costs.
When someone dies in Worcester County, settling their estate runs through the Probate and Family Court. This page covers the court record, whether probate is required, what it costs, how to file, transferring property, and the local attorneys who handle probate here.
Probate Court Record
Probate and Family Court
Worcester County
Address
Phone
Fax
Hours
Serves all Worcester County communities. Largest county by area in Massachusetts. Virtual Registry 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Worcester Court Service Center on the 1st floor assists self-represented filers. MBTA Commuter Rail (Framingham/Worcester line) to Union Station, 1/2 mile walk. Public Wi-Fi available. Paid parking nearby.
Verified July 3, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Worcester County
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 Worcester, probate runs through the Probate and Family Court at 225 Main Street, Worcester.
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 Massachusetts intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Massachusetts estates take 9 monthsM.G.L. c. 190B §§ 1-307Verified Jul 14, 2026View source to 14 monthsM.G.L. c. 190B §§ 1-307Verified Jul 14, 2026View source to move through this process. The 12 monthsM.G.L. c. 190B § 3-803Verified Jul 14, 2026View source creditor claim window is the largest fixed piece of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of how simple the estate is.
What Probate Costs in Worcester County
What probate costs in Worcester County, Massachusetts 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 Probate and Family Court at 225 Main Street, Worcester.
Local procedures at this court: Original wills must be mailed or delivered to court within 5 calendar days of eFiling; Citation service requires 14 days notice when served within Commonwealth; Publication required if interested person whereabouts unknown; must publish at least 7 days before return date. These are county-specific and not posted on the statewide court site.
Worcester County runs a probate self-help center (Monday - Thursday 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM; Friday 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM), which is the single biggest cost-saver for families who can self-file. Staff can walk you through the paperwork and explain procedures, though they cannot give legal advice on your specific case.
Massachusetts charges $390M.G.L. c. 262, § 40; M.G.L. c. 262, § 4CVerified Jul 14, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
The Probate and Family Court accepts e-filing (https://www.efilema.com/). Paper filing remains available for self-represented filers.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Massachusetts are negotiated, typically 2.2%No specific statute for general probate attorney fees; reasonable compensation subject to court review. M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-720 covers litigation expense reimbursement only.Verified Jul 14, 2026View source to 3.5%No specific statute for general probate attorney fees; reasonable compensation subject to court review. M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-720 covers litigation expense reimbursement only.Verified Jul 14, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Executor compensation is based on reasonable pay for time and effort — the states that do set a schedule pay 2.23%Estimated from the 17 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Jul 14, 2026View source to 3.82%Estimated from the 17 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Jul 14, 2026View source of estate value. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
A surety bond may be required unless the will waives it or all beneficiaries consent. Premiums run roughly 0.5%M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-603Verified Jul 14, 2026View source of estate value annually.
Probate in Massachusetts typically runs 9 monthsM.G.L. c. 190B §§ 1-307Verified Jul 14, 2026View source to 14 monthsM.G.L. c. 190B §§ 1-307Verified Jul 14, 2026View source, and costs accrue throughout. The 12 monthsM.G.L. c. 190B § 3-803Verified Jul 14, 2026View source creditor claim window is the single biggest driver of that timeline — a mandatory wait regardless of estate complexity.
How to File Probate at the Probate and Family Court
Probate documents in Worcester County can be filed in person at the Probate and Family Court, by mail, or electronically. Most families handling probate themselves prefer paper filing, though e-filing is available.
How to File Your Documents
You can file your probate documents in person at the court or by mail.
If you prefer, you can file electronically through the state's online system. This is optional for families filing without an attorney.
View E-Filing InformationCan You File Without an Attorney?
Not every estate requires an attorney. Estate size, asset types, and whether beneficiaries agree determine if self-filing at the Probate and Family Court is realistic. Worcester County has a self-help center that assists people filing without an attorney.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Worcester County Self-Filing Assessment.
Worcester County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Original wills must be mailed or delivered to court within 5 calendar days of eFiling.
Publication required if interested person whereabouts unknown; must publish at least 7 days before return date.
Document Requirements
Certified copies of court records cost $25.00 each.
Service Requirements
Citation service requires 14 days notice when served within Commonwealth.
What to Bring
To file at the Probate and Family Court you need: the original will (or proof there isn't one), a certified death certificate, contact information for all heirs and beneficiaries, and a summary of what the estate owns and owes.
Transferring Property in Worcester County
Clearing title to real estate after a death—recording a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order—happens at the Registry of Deeds.
Recording Office Record
Registry of Deeds
Worcester County · Register of Deeds
Address
Phone
Fax
Hours
E-recording
Recording fees
| Flat fee (any length) | $155 |
Per-document fee model, not per-page. Published statewide schedule (all-in, includes surcharges): Deed $155; Mortgage $205; Declaration of Trust $255; Declaration of Homestead $35; Mortgage Discharge/Release $105; Municipal Lien Certificate $80; UCC $75; Federal Tax Lien $5; Plans $105 per sheet; all other documents $105; copies $1 per page ($0.50 at coin-operated machines). Statutory components: $100 deed fee (M.G.L. c. 262, s. 38) + $50 CPA surcharge (M.G.L. c. 44B, s. 8), which is not charged on a declaration of homestead. Registered (Land Court) filings use the same schedule; a document affecting both recorded and registered land must be filed on both sides. Some county-run registries add $1 postage per paper document (waived for e-recording).
M.G.L. c. 262, s. 38; M.G.L. c. 44B, s. 8; M.G.L. c. 64D, s. 1
Transfer tax
Deeds excise: $2.28 per $500 of consideration (or fractional part), i.e. $4.56 per $1,000. M.G.L. c. 64D, s. 1 sets the base rate at $2.00 per $500 of consideration in excess of $100; the rate collected at the registries is $2.28 per $500. Paid by the grantor. Barnstable County is higher: $6.48 per $1,000 (state $3.42 + Barnstable County $3.06).. No municipal/local transfer taxes on top of the state deeds excise, except the Barnstable County rate ($3.06 per $1,000, Cape Cod Land Bank) that applies to Cape Cod recordings. M.G.L. c. 64D, s. 1 also excludes instruments given to secure a debt and deeds to which the Commonwealth, a city or town, or the United States is a party.
Worcester County has 2 registry districts: Worcester and Northern (Fitchburg). This entry uses the Worcester District as the primary registry. Records date to 1731. Largest county by area in Massachusetts.
Verified July 13, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Worcester County
Massachusetts allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Worcester County without hiring an attorney. 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 Massachusetts are based on reasonable compensation — typically 2.2%No specific statute for general probate attorney fees; reasonable compensation subject to court review. M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-720 covers litigation expense reimbursement only.Verified Jul 14, 2026View source to 3.5%No specific statute for general probate attorney fees; reasonable compensation subject to court review. M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-720 covers litigation expense reimbursement only.Verified Jul 14, 2026View source of the estate's value, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Worcester County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Probate and Family 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.
Worcester & Central Massachusetts Firms
Bowditch & Dewey, LLP
FirmFull-service Massachusetts law firm established in 1914 with 70+ lawyers across four offices. Estate and Tax Planning group includes 12 dedicated practitioners with 24 attorneys listed in Best Lawyers in America. Ranked in Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" nationally and regionally for trusts and estates.
Location
446 Main Street, Suite 1101Worcester, MA 01608
Phone
(508) 791-3511
Established
1914
Service Area
4 counties
Daviau Law Offices, PC
FirmProvides assistance creating estate plans, caring for aging parents, or help with the probate process. Attorney Nicholas W. Daviau takes a holistic approach to estate planning. Offers high-quality and affordable legal services throughout Worcester County.
Location
255 Park Avenue, Suite 1000Worcester, MA 01609
Phone
(508) 425-4270
Service Area
1 county
Estate Preservation Law Offices
FirmWorcester boutique firm handling Probate and Family Court estate administration alongside its core asset-protection practice. Partners Brendan J. King and Linda T. Cammuso administer estates and trusts, settle MassHealth estate-recovery claims, run guardianship and conservatorship cases, and prepare estate tax returns. Branch offices in Braintree, Leominster, and Hyannis.
Location
71 Elm Street, Suite 100Worcester, MA 01609
Phone
(508) 751-5010
Service Area
3 counties
Gelinas & Ward, LLP
FirmAV-rated Leominster firm (founded 2008) serving North Central Massachusetts through the Worcester County Probate and Family Court in Fitchburg, plus Gardner and Worcester. Handles probate and trust administration, guardianship and conservatorship matters, MassHealth/Medicaid planning, and special needs planning alongside wills, trusts, and business succession work.
Location
106 Merriam AvenueLeominster, MA 01453
Phone
(978) 537-2200
Established
2008
Service Area
1 county
Kalmansson & Kalmansson
FirmOver 35 years of experience serving individuals, couples, and families throughout Worcester County with personalized estate planning, elder law, MassHealth/Medicaid assistance, probate administration, and real estate legal services.
Location
48 West StreetLeominster, MA 01453
Phone
(978) 205-0002
Service Area
1 county
Mirick, O'Connell, DeMallie & Lougee, LLP
FirmWorcester firm founded in 1916, one of Central Massachusetts' largest. Its Trusts and Estates group handles estate and gift tax planning, trust administration, special-needs planning, and guardianships, and has ranked Tier 1 for trusts and estates in the Worcester/Springfield area for over a decade. Several attorneys are ACTEC Fellows; offices in Worcester, Westborough, and Boston.
Location
100 Front StreetWorcester, MA 01608
Phone
(508) 791-8500
Established
1916
Service Area
3 counties
Seder & Chandler, LLP
FirmEstablished in 1918, Seder & Chandler is one of Worcester's oldest and most respected law firms, serving businesses and individuals for over a century. Their Estates & Trusts practice group handles estate planning, trust administration, fiduciary representation, probate litigation, will challenges, family offices, and guardianship matters.
Location
339 Main Street, Suite 300Worcester, MA 01608
Phone
(508) 757-7721
Established
1918
Service Area
2 counties
Socius Law Firm
FirmFounded upon key principles and modeled on the successful relationships forged with individuals, families and small business owners throughout Central Massachusetts, MetroWest Boston and Worcester County since 1997. Attorney Todd Rosenfield offers personalized solutions on trusts, wills, guardianships, probate, and estate administration.
Location
1900 West Park Drive, #280Westborough, MA 01581
Phone
(508) 870-5759
Established
1997
Service Area
2 counties
Vickstrom Law, PC
Solo PracticeFull-service elder law, estate planning, and long-term care planning office serving Central Massachusetts, Worcester County, MetroWest, and Middlesex County. Services include estate planning, special needs planning, elder law, guardianship and conservatorship, wills and trusts, MassHealth/Medicaid planning, applications and appeals, and estate administration.
Location
255 Park Avenue, Suite 507Worcester, MA 01609
Phone
(508) 757-3800
Service Area
2 counties
Firms from Neighboring Regions
Galvani Law Offices, P.C.
Solo PracticeMetroWest estate planning and real estate practice serving Framingham and surrounding suburbs. Attorney Paul V. Galvani brings over 40 years of experience and deep community ties including service on the Framingham Cooperative Bank board since 1989 and past president of United Way of MetroWest.
Location
1881 Worcester Road, Suite 200Framingham, MA 01701
Phone
(508) 626-3620
Service Area
2 counties
Hera Law Group
FirmMassachusetts boutique law firm with a Nantucket office providing estate planning, probate law, guardianship and conservatorship, wills and trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and estate and trust administration. Also serves Cape Cod and greater Massachusetts.
Location
34 Main StreetNantucket, MA 02554
Phone
(978) 637-2048
Service Area
5 counties
The Parents Estate Planning Law Firm, PC
FirmFounded in 1998 by David Feakes, The Parents Estate Planning Law Firm focuses on the unique estate planning needs of young families and empty nesters. Serves clients across Massachusetts with personalized estate planning including wills, trusts, guardianship planning, and kids protection planning.
Location
31 Nagog Park, Suite 301Acton, MA 01720
Phone
(978) 263-6900
Established
1998
Service Area
2 counties
Statewide Practices
Casner & Edwards, LLP
FirmBoston firm whose Trusts & Estates group serves individuals, families, and charitable trusts across New England. Handles estate and trust administration, probate, gift and estate tax matters, business succession planning, charitable and planned giving, and probate litigation. Founded in 1974.
Location
303 Congress StreetBoston, MA 02210
Phone
(617) 426-5900
Established
1974
Service Area
Statewide
Cushing & Dolan, P.C.
FirmWaltham-based estate planning and tax firm serving Greater Boston from eight Massachusetts locations. Concentrates on complex estate planning for closely held business owners, gift and estate tax matters, elder law and Medicaid planning, and fiduciary litigation involving trusts, estates, and probate disputes. Founded in 1984 by Leo J. Cushing, Esq., CPA.
Location
400 Fifth Avenue, Suite 400Waltham, MA 02451
Phone
(888) 759-5109
Established
1984
Service Area
Statewide
Fletcher Tilton PC
FirmOne of Massachusetts' oldest law firms, established in 1822. The trust and estate department manages more than 250 trusts and administers over 130 estates each year, handling estates ranging from insolvent to over $40 million. Offices throughout Massachusetts including Worcester, Framingham, Boston, Cape Cod, and Providence.
Location
100 Front Street, 5th FloorWorcester, MA 01608
Phone
(508) 459-8000
Established
1822
Service Area
Statewide
KLG Estate Planning & Probate Attorneys
FirmAndover firm handling probate and trust administration across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, with a second office in Rye, NH. Manages formal and informal probate, voluntary administration for small estates, trust-based settlements, beneficiary transfers, and trust and estate litigation. Founded by Thomas M. Kiley.
Location
342 North Main StreetAndover, MA 01810
Phone
(978) 788-9142
Service Area
Statewide
The Law Office of Polly Tatum
FirmWith over 24 years of experience, Attorney Polly Tatum has been serving clients in Worcester and throughout Massachusetts since 1997. Recognized as one of the fastest-growing law firms in the U.S. with an AVVO Superb rating. Featured in Worcester Business Journal. Serves all Massachusetts cities and towns, both virtually and in person.
Location
19 Cedar StreetWorcester, MA 01609
Phone
(508) 795-1557
Service Area
Statewide
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
FirmBoston Private Client practice on the Seaport, co-founded in 1879 by Louis D. Brandeis. Handles multi-generational estate planning, trust and estate administration, Probate Court proceedings, gift and estate tax planning, and business succession, serving as personal representative, trustee, and guardian for families of varying means. Band 1, Chambers High Net Worth 2025.
Location
155 Seaport Blvd.Boston, MA 02210
Phone
(617) 439-2000
Established
1879
Service Area
Statewide
RackiLaw, LLC
Solo PracticeBoston-based boutique estate planning firm founded by a former WilmerHale attorney. Has served over 1,000 families with estates ranging from $10,000 to $8 billion. Flat-fee pricing model with transparent timelines. Attorney Racki teaches Trusts & Estates at Boston University School of Law since 2023.
Location
55 Union Street, Suite 300Boston, MA 02108
Phone
(617) 285-6388
Established
2009
Service Area
Statewide
Law Office of Todd D. Beauregard, P.C.
FirmOpened practice in Lowell, Massachusetts in 2006 and has grown to include offices in Nashua NH, North Andover MA, Boston MA, and Concord MA. Led by Todd D. Beauregard with partner Shauna L. Finnegan. Provides estate planning and probate services throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Location
25 Central StreetLowell, MA 01852
Phone
(978) 275-1919
Established
2006
Service Area
Statewide
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.
Legal Sources
- Estimated from the 17 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)
- M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-603
- M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-803
- M.G.L. c. 190B §§ 1-307
- M.G.L. c. 262, § 40; M.G.L. c. 262, § 4C
- No specific statute for general probate attorney fees; reasonable compensation subject to court review. M.G.L. c. 190B § 3-720 covers litigation expense reimbursement only.
Data sourced from Massachusetts statutes and official state code. How we research.
Frequently Asked Questions
You open probate by filing a petition with the Probate and Family Court in Worcester County, attaching the original will (if any), the death certificate, and the filing fee ($390). Once the court issues letters, the personal representative can act.
Total probate costs on a $500,000 estate run about $30,739 statewide in Massachusetts. For Worcester County, that means filing fees ($390 to open), attorney fees, executor compensation, publication costs, and possibly a bond. The calculator on this page runs the math for your estate size.
Yes. The Probate and Family Court in Worcester County accepts e-filing through the state portal. In-person filing at the courthouse is still available for those without digital access.
Not every estate needs one. Simple estates, small estates under the affidavit threshold, and states with informal probate can often be handled without counsel. Contested wills, out-of-state property, and business interests usually need an attorney. The Massachusetts self-filing assessment scores whether this estate can be handled without one.
A simple Massachusetts probate typically closes in 6–9 months; average estates run 9–14 months. The mandatory creditor-claim period accounts for much of that, so even uncontested estates rarely close quickly.
A revocable living trust skips probate entirely — no filing fee, no attorney schedule, no executor commission. The cost of setting up the trust is typically recovered many times over compared to what probate would cost the estate. Create a revocable trust online and keep the estate out of Worcester County probate.
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