How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in North Carolina?

North Carolina 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 16 states whose legislatures set an executor fee schedule: each schedule is applied to an estate of the same size, and the middle half of those results is the range, 2.2%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.8%Estimated from the 16 state statutes that set an executor fee schedule (median and interquartile range at this estate value)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of a $500,000 estate. It is an estimate anchored in what other legislatures decided the same work is worth, not a figure from North Carolina law; the probate court has the final say.

North Carolina 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.N.C.G.S. § 28A-23-3Verified Jul 25, 2026View source

North Carolina requires a bond of the personal representative by defaultN.C.G.S. § 28A-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. The requirement can often be excusedN.C.G.S. § 28A-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, by a waiver in the will, agreement of the heirs, or court order, depending on the state. If the court requires a corporate surety, the premium runs about 0.5%N.C.G.S. § 28A-8-1Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the bonded amount annually; most estates avoid it through a waiver or a surety-free bond. The bond protects beneficiaries against executor misconduct or mismanagement.

Executor fees and attorney fees are separate costs in North Carolina probate: attorney fees of typically 2%N.C.G.S. § 28A-13-3(a)(19), § 28A-23-3(a) (attorney fees are a negotiated administration expense; no statutory schedule or percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.1%N.C.G.S. § 28A-13-3(a)(19), § 28A-23-3(a) (attorney fees are a negotiated administration expense; no statutory schedule or percentage)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate, and executor compensation is set separatelyN.C.G.S. § 28A-23-3 (clerk sets commission up to 5% on receipts/expenditures; no fixed schedule)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Both are paid from the estate before distribution to beneficiaries. Estimate the attorney fee with the North Carolina probate attorney fee calculator.