How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Florida?

Yes. Executors in Florida 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.

Florida requires executors to post a surety bond.Fla. Stat. § 733.402Verified May 30, 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 Florida is responsible for filing the will with the probate court, inventorying assets, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, and distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries.Fla. Stat. § 733.402 (bond — required by default; waivable by will or court order; banks/trust companies exempt), § 733.617 (PR commission presumed reasonable: 3% first $1M, 2.5% $1M-$5M, 2% $5M-$10M, 1.5% above $10M), § 733.6171 (attorney compensation presumed reasonable: $1,500 flat ≤$40K; +$750 $40K-$70K; +$750 $70K-$100K; 3% $100K-$1M; 2.5% $1M-$3M; 2% $3M-$5M; 1.5% $5M-$10M; 1% above $10M; written disclosure of negotiability required), § 733.702 (creditor claims: later of 3 months from first publication OR 30 days from service on known creditor), § 733.710 (absolute 2-year nonclaim bar from date of death), § 733.2121 (publication once/week for 2 consecutive weeks in county newspaper), § 735.201 (summary administration: nonexempt estate ≤$75K OR decedent dead >2 years), § 735.301 (disposition without administration: nonexempt personal property ≤ funeral expenses + 60-day medical/hospital expenses; no fixed dollar cap). Re-verified 2026-05-30 via leg.state.fl.us — all statutory values and thresholds confirmed unchanged.Verified May 30, 2026 The process typically takes 6-9 months for simple estates and 9-12 months on average. The 3-month creditor claim period sets a minimum timeline. The Florida executor checklist outlines each step.

Executor fees and attorney fees are separate costs in Florida probate. Attorney fees are based on a presumed-reasonable statutory schedule.Fla. Stat. § 733.6171Verified May 30, 2026 Executor compensation is calculated separately from attorney fees. Both fees are paid from the estate before distribution to beneficiaries.

Total probate costs in Florida include executor fees, attorney fees, court filing fees, publication costs, and potentially bond premiums. Executor compensation is one component of the overall expense. The total typically ranges from 3-8% of the estate value depending on complexity. Use the Florida probate calculator for a complete cost estimate.