How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Alabama?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. Fees vary by state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Alabama allows executors to receive "reasonable compensation" as determined by the court.Ala. Code § 43-2-848 (reasonable compensation capped at 2.5% of property received/controlled + 2.5% of disbursements; court may award more for extraordinary services)Verified Jul 14, 2026 Courts consider the size and complexity of the estate, the time spent, and the executor's skill and experience. On a $500,000 estate, the states that do set a statutory schedule pay 2.23% to 3.82% — a useful reference point where Alabama gives none.
Alabama law says only that compensation must be reasonable — it names no percentage, so no exact figure exists to look up. The estimate is built from the 17 states whose legislatures DO set an executor fee schedule: each schedule is applied to an estate of the same size, and the midpoint of those results is shown ($14,050 on a $500,000 estate), with the middle half of them as the range. It is an estimate anchored in what other legislatures decided the same work is worth, not a figure from Alabama law. The probate court has the final say.
Yes. Executors in Alabama can waive their fee entirely or accept a reduced amount. Family members serving as executor often waive compensation, particularly when they are also beneficiaries of the estate. Waiving the fee reduces the overall cost of probate and increases the amount available for distribution to beneficiaries.
Alabama statute does not address how co-executors share compensation. The court sets one reasonable amount for the estate and allocates it among the executors serving.Ala. Code § 43-2-848Verified Jul 25, 2026
Alabama requires executors to post a surety bond.Ala. Code § 43-2-851Verified Jul 14, 2026 The bond requirement can be waived in the will or by court order. The typical annual bond premium is approximately 0.5% of the estate value. The bond protects beneficiaries against executor misconduct or mismanagement.
An executor in Alabama is responsible for filing the will with the probate court, inventorying assets, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, and distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries.Ala. Code § 43-2-848 (executor compensation), 43-2-682 (attorney fees), 43-2-690, 43-2-691, 43-2-691.1, 43-2-692, 43-2-696.02, 43-2-697 (small estate / Summary Distribution; HB164 / Act 2025-431, eff. Oct 1, 2025 — now codified in Division 10, §§ 43-2-690 to 43-2-696.02), 43-8-110/111/112/113/116 (homestead, exempt property, family allowance, CPI adjustment), 43-2-350 (creditor claims), 43-2-851 (bond), 43-2-834 (unsupervised administration), 43-2-20/43-2-40 (grant of letters by the probate court), 43-2-835/43-2-843(17) (PR self-valued inventory; appraiser permissive), 43-2-61 (publication). Dollar amounts: Alabama State Treasurer, Consumer Price Index Law (https://treasury.alabama.gov/resources/consumer-price-index-law/) — $18,800 homestead / $18,800 family allowance / $9,400 personal property exemption from the July 1, 2023 adjustment, in effect for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2024; the July 1, 2026 adjustment ($20,475 / $20,475 / $10,225 = $51,175) takes effect for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2027. Fully re-verified 2026-07-14 against fetched official Code of Alabama section texts and the Treasury CPI page.Verified Jul 14, 2026 The process typically takes 6-12 months for simple estates and 12-18 months on average. The 6-month creditor claim period sets a minimum timeline. The Alabama estate settlement plan outlines each step.
Executor fees and attorney fees are separate costs in Alabama probate. Attorney fees are based on reasonable compensation.Ala. Code § 43-2-682 (court fixes reasonable attorney fees at settlement)Verified Jul 14, 2026 Executor compensation is calculated separately from attorney fees. Both fees are paid from the estate before distribution to beneficiaries. To estimate the attorney fee, use the Alabama probate attorney fee calculator.
Total probate costs in Alabama include executor fees, attorney fees, court filing fees, publication costs, and potentially bond premiums. Executor compensation is one component of the overall expense. On a $500,000 estate, the total runs about $26,514 — roughly 5% of estate value — depending on complexity.Ala. Code § 43-2-848 (executor compensation), 43-2-682 (attorney fees), 43-2-690, 43-2-691, 43-2-691.1, 43-2-692, 43-2-696.02, 43-2-697 (small estate / Summary Distribution; HB164 / Act 2025-431, eff. Oct 1, 2025 — now codified in Division 10, §§ 43-2-690 to 43-2-696.02), 43-8-110/111/112/113/116 (homestead, exempt property, family allowance, CPI adjustment), 43-2-350 (creditor claims), 43-2-851 (bond), 43-2-834 (unsupervised administration), 43-2-20/43-2-40 (grant of letters by the probate court), 43-2-835/43-2-843(17) (PR self-valued inventory; appraiser permissive), 43-2-61 (publication). Dollar amounts: Alabama State Treasurer, Consumer Price Index Law (https://treasury.alabama.gov/resources/consumer-price-index-law/) — $18,800 homestead / $18,800 family allowance / $9,400 personal property exemption from the July 1, 2023 adjustment, in effect for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2024; the July 1, 2026 adjustment ($20,475 / $20,475 / $10,225 = $51,175) takes effect for exemptions claimed on or after April 1, 2027. Fully re-verified 2026-07-14 against fetched official Code of Alabama section texts and the Treasury CPI page.Verified Jul 14, 2026 Use the Alabama probate calculator for a complete cost estimate.
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