How Much Does an Executor Get Paid in Tennessee?
Calculate how much an executor (personal representative) can charge for administering an estate. Fees vary by state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tennessee allows executors to receive "reasonable compensation" as determined by the court.T.C.A. § 30-2-606 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified Jul 15, 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 Tennessee gives none.
Tennessee 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 Tennessee law. The probate court has the final say.
Yes. Executors in Tennessee 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.
Tennessee 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.Tenn. Code Ann. § 30-2-606Verified Jul 25, 2026
Tennessee requires executors to post a surety bond.T.C.A. § 30-1-201Verified 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 Tennessee is responsible for filing the will with the probate court, inventorying assets, notifying creditors, paying debts and taxes, and distributing remaining assets to beneficiaries.T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 (act name), 30-4-102 (definitions: $50K threshold in subsec (9); personal-property-only restriction in subsec (8); amended by HB0337/Public Ch. 297, eff. 4/28/2023), 30-4-103 (45-day waiting period, bond rules, no creditor notice), 30-2-306 (publication; 4-month bar from first publication; 60-day actual-notice variant in subsec (b)), 30-2-307(a)(1) (claims barred unless filed within § 30-2-306(b) notice period), 30-2-310 (12-month outer bar from death), 30-1-201 (bond; exemptions for will waiver, PR-as-sole-beneficiary, unanimous adult-beneficiary consent, or bank PR per § 45-2-1005), 30-2-301 (inventory), 30-2-601 (accounting waiver), 30-2-606 (reasonable compensation). Cross-verified against 2023 Public Chapter 297 (publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/113/pub/pc0297.pdf), tncourts.gov Small Estates clerk-conference guide (tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Small%20Estates.pdf, reproduces full text of T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-104 as amended 2023), and TN General Assembly public chapter effective-date reports for 2025-2026 (capitol.tn.gov/Archives/Joint/publications/PublicChapters/): no 2025 or 2026 public chapter amends §§ 30-1-201, 30-2-306/307/310, 30-2-601/606, or Title 30 Ch. 4; probate bills SB0541/HB0906 (creditor-claim exceptions) and SB2290/HB2269 (pro se small-estate life-insurance filing) did not pass as of 2026-06-11. Re-verified 2026-06-19 against the official tncourts.gov clerk Probate Guide (tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/docs/probate_manual_final.pdf), which reproduces the current 30-2-306 (publication in subsec (a); 4-month/12-month claim bar referenced in subsec (b); affidavit of publication in subsec (c); notice excused if letters issued >1 yr after death in subsec (e)), 30-2-307(a)(1) (60-day actual-notice variant), 30-2-301 (PR-filed inventory), 30-2-601 (statement in lieu of accounting), and 30-2-606 ("reasonable compensation for services"). Current 30-2-306(b) confirmed present (cross-referenced by 30-2-310(c)(1) and the Probate Guide) — the 2005 Pub. Ch. 429 §5 deletion of the then-existing 30-2-306(b) was superseded by later re-amendment.Verified Jul 15, 2026 The process typically takes 6-9 months for simple estates and 9-15 months on average. The 4-month creditor claim period sets a minimum timeline. The Tennessee estate settlement plan outlines each step.
Executor fees and attorney fees are separate costs in Tennessee probate. Attorney fees are based on reasonable compensation.T.C.A. § 30-2-606 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage)Verified 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 Tennessee probate attorney fee calculator.
Total probate costs in Tennessee 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 $27,552 — roughly 6% of estate value — depending on complexity.T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 (act name), 30-4-102 (definitions: $50K threshold in subsec (9); personal-property-only restriction in subsec (8); amended by HB0337/Public Ch. 297, eff. 4/28/2023), 30-4-103 (45-day waiting period, bond rules, no creditor notice), 30-2-306 (publication; 4-month bar from first publication; 60-day actual-notice variant in subsec (b)), 30-2-307(a)(1) (claims barred unless filed within § 30-2-306(b) notice period), 30-2-310 (12-month outer bar from death), 30-1-201 (bond; exemptions for will waiver, PR-as-sole-beneficiary, unanimous adult-beneficiary consent, or bank PR per § 45-2-1005), 30-2-301 (inventory), 30-2-601 (accounting waiver), 30-2-606 (reasonable compensation). Cross-verified against 2023 Public Chapter 297 (publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/113/pub/pc0297.pdf), tncourts.gov Small Estates clerk-conference guide (tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/docs/Small%20Estates.pdf, reproduces full text of T.C.A. §§ 30-4-101 to 30-4-104 as amended 2023), and TN General Assembly public chapter effective-date reports for 2025-2026 (capitol.tn.gov/Archives/Joint/publications/PublicChapters/): no 2025 or 2026 public chapter amends §§ 30-1-201, 30-2-306/307/310, 30-2-601/606, or Title 30 Ch. 4; probate bills SB0541/HB0906 (creditor-claim exceptions) and SB2290/HB2269 (pro se small-estate life-insurance filing) did not pass as of 2026-06-11. Re-verified 2026-06-19 against the official tncourts.gov clerk Probate Guide (tncourts.gov/sites/default/files/docs/probate_manual_final.pdf), which reproduces the current 30-2-306 (publication in subsec (a); 4-month/12-month claim bar referenced in subsec (b); affidavit of publication in subsec (c); notice excused if letters issued >1 yr after death in subsec (e)), 30-2-307(a)(1) (60-day actual-notice variant), 30-2-301 (PR-filed inventory), 30-2-601 (statement in lieu of accounting), and 30-2-606 ("reasonable compensation for services"). Current 30-2-306(b) confirmed present (cross-referenced by 30-2-310(c)(1) and the Probate Guide) — the 2005 Pub. Ch. 429 §5 deletion of the then-existing 30-2-306(b) was superseded by later re-amendment.Verified Jul 15, 2026 Use the Tennessee probate calculator for a complete cost estimate.
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