Pennsylvania (PA) · Fees
Pennsylvania probate fees and costs
Probate in Pennsylvania has a handful of cost categories: court filing fees, attorney fees, executor compensation, bond premiums (when required), and miscellaneous costs like appraisals and publication. Specific dollar figures vary and are revised over time.
What you're paying for
Register of Wills filing fees.
Attorney fees (hourly or percentage-based; case law sets a reasonable-fee framework).
Executor compensation (reasonable, based on services performed; case law provides guideposts).
Pennsylvania inheritance tax (rates depend on the heir's relationship to the decedent).
Advertising and publication costs.
Why PA inheritance tax matters
Pennsylvania inheritance tax is paid by the estate before distribution and applies to most beneficiaries other than spouses. It's the single largest cost driver in many PA estates.
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