How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Florida?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. Fees vary by state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Florida has a statutory fee schedule that is "presumed reasonable" for executor compensation.Fla. Stat. § 733.617Verified Jul 15, 2026 This means the statutory amount serves as a baseline, but executors and beneficiaries can negotiate a different fee.
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.
On estates under $100,000, co-executors divide one full commission. At $100,000 or more, each executor is entitled to a full commission, with the estate bearing at most 2 full commissions in total.Fla. Stat. § 733.617(5)Verified Jul 25, 2026
Florida requires executors to post a surety bond.Fla. Stat. § 733.402Verified Jul 15, 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: "Unless the bond requirement has been waived by the will or by the court, every fiduciary to whom letters are granted shall execute and file a bond with surety"; banks/trust companies exempt under (3)), § 733.617(2) (PR commission presumed reasonable: 3% first $1M, 2.5% $1M-$5M, 2% $5M-$10M, 1.5% above $10M), § 733.6171(3) (attorney compensation presumed reasonable: $1,500 for estates $40,000 or less; +$750 $40K-$70K; +$750 $70K-$100K; "3 percent on the next $900,000"; 2.5% $1M-$3M; 2% $3M-$5M; 1.5% $5M-$10M; 1% above $10M; written disclosure of negotiability required by (2)(b)), § 733.604(1)(a) (PR self-values the estate in a verified inventory — no court appraiser), § 733.702(1) (creditor claims: later of 3 months from first publication OR 30 days from service on the creditor), § 733.710(1) (absolute 2-year nonclaim bar from date of death), § 733.2121(2) (publication "once a week for 2 consecutive weeks, in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered"), § 735.201(2) (summary administration: estate less exempt property "does not exceed $150,000 ... or ... the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years" — $150,000 per Ch. 2026-57 § 7, in force since 2026-07-01), § 735.301(1) (disposition without administration: decedent "leaving only personal property" whose nonexempt value does not exceed preferred funeral expenses + last-60-days medical/hospital expenses; no fixed dollar cap; not amended by Ch. 2026-57). Re-verified 2026-07-14 by live fetch of the Ch. 733 and Ch. 735 statute pages on leg.state.fl.us and the enrolled chapter law Ch. 2026-57 at laws.flrules.org/2026/57 (act § 14: "This act shall take effect July 1, 2026"). Codified republication on leg.state.fl.us still printed the pre-2026 figures ($75,000 / $2,500 / $1,000 / $10,000) on 2026-07-14; the chapter law controls.Verified Jul 15, 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 estate settlement plan 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 Jul 15, 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 Florida probate attorney fee calculator.
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. On a $500,000 estate, the total runs about $33,095 — roughly 7% of estate value — depending on complexity.Fla. Stat. § 733.402 (bond — required by default: "Unless the bond requirement has been waived by the will or by the court, every fiduciary to whom letters are granted shall execute and file a bond with surety"; banks/trust companies exempt under (3)), § 733.617(2) (PR commission presumed reasonable: 3% first $1M, 2.5% $1M-$5M, 2% $5M-$10M, 1.5% above $10M), § 733.6171(3) (attorney compensation presumed reasonable: $1,500 for estates $40,000 or less; +$750 $40K-$70K; +$750 $70K-$100K; "3 percent on the next $900,000"; 2.5% $1M-$3M; 2% $3M-$5M; 1.5% $5M-$10M; 1% above $10M; written disclosure of negotiability required by (2)(b)), § 733.604(1)(a) (PR self-values the estate in a verified inventory — no court appraiser), § 733.702(1) (creditor claims: later of 3 months from first publication OR 30 days from service on the creditor), § 733.710(1) (absolute 2-year nonclaim bar from date of death), § 733.2121(2) (publication "once a week for 2 consecutive weeks, in a newspaper published in the county where the estate is administered"), § 735.201(2) (summary administration: estate less exempt property "does not exceed $150,000 ... or ... the decedent has been dead for more than 2 years" — $150,000 per Ch. 2026-57 § 7, in force since 2026-07-01), § 735.301(1) (disposition without administration: decedent "leaving only personal property" whose nonexempt value does not exceed preferred funeral expenses + last-60-days medical/hospital expenses; no fixed dollar cap; not amended by Ch. 2026-57). Re-verified 2026-07-14 by live fetch of the Ch. 733 and Ch. 735 statute pages on leg.state.fl.us and the enrolled chapter law Ch. 2026-57 at laws.flrules.org/2026/57 (act § 14: "This act shall take effect July 1, 2026"). Codified republication on leg.state.fl.us still printed the pre-2026 figures ($75,000 / $2,500 / $1,000 / $10,000) on 2026-07-14; the chapter law controls.Verified Jul 15, 2026 Use the Florida probate calculator for a complete cost estimate.
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