Texas Probate Costs
Reasonable compensation under Tex. Estates Code Section 352.052 (reasonable compensation)
Texas Probate Overview
Texas follows a reasonable compensation model for probate fees, where attorney and executor fees are determined by what the court considers fair for the work performed. Under Tex. Estates Code Section 352.052 (reasonable compensation), fees are based on the gross value of the estate. This means costs can vary depending on the complexity of the estate and the professionals involved.
Attorney fees are typically around 3.0% of the gross estate value. The court filing fee in Texas is $300 (TX county court probate filing fee average). You should also budget for surety bond premiums and newspaper publication fees required by law.
The probate process in Texas typically takes 6 to 12 months from filing to final distribution. For smaller estates valued at $75,000 or less, Texas offers a small estate affidavit that can bypass the full probate process (Tex. Estates Code Section 205.001).