How much does probate cost in New Jersey?

Probate costs in New Jersey typically include the executor's statutory commission under N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14 (5% of the first $200,000, 3.5% up to $1 million, 2% above), attorney fees, surrogate's court fees, and appraisal and accounting costs. For a $750,000 estate, total costs commonly range from roughly $40,000 to $50,000.

What does it cost to die without a will in New Jersey?

Dying intestate (without a will) in New Jersey typically costs more than probate with a will: the court-appointed administrator must post a surety bond equal to the full estate value, legal fees run higher, and if minor children inherit, a court-supervised guardianship adds thousands more. A judge — not the parents — also decides who raises minor children.

How does a living trust avoid probate costs in New Jersey?

Assets held in a properly funded revocable living trust pass directly to beneficiaries without probate — no statutory commissions on those assets, no surety bond, no court timeline, and no public record. A complete trust-based estate plan typically costs a small fraction of what probate or intestacy takes from a family.

What Will Probate Cost Your Family? | The Himmel Law Firm

Free Calculator · New Jersey Law

What Would Probate Cost Your Family?

Answer four quick questions and see what New Jersey's court process could take from your estate — and what a proper plan could save.

Step 1 of 2 — About Your Estate

What is the approximate total value of your estate?

Include your home's value, bank and investment accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance without named beneficiaries, vehicles, and personal property.

$750,000

$100k$3M+

Do you own a home or other real estate in New Jersey?

Do you have children under 18?

If something happened to you, who would likely inherit?

My executor would be a close family member who would refuse payment
NJ law entitles your executor or administrator to a statutory commission of up to 5% of your estate — even a family member. Many take it; commissions are taxable income to them.

Step 2 of 2 — Your Results Are Ready

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Enter your name and email to unlock your full cost comparison — intestacy vs. probate vs. a proper plan.

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Estimated avoidable costs for your family

Scenario 1 · No Will at AllDying Intestate

Estimated total

Scenario 2 · Will, But No TrustStandard Probate

Estimated total

Scenario 3 · A Proper Estate PlanTrust-Based Plan, Done Right

Timeline for your family: assets pass in days to weeks — privately, with no court process.

One-time investment

* Average investment for a complete trust-based plan. Every family's situation is unique — your exact price cannot be determined or guaranteed here, and will be quoted as a flat fee at your Planning Session, before anything begins.

Keep That Money in Your Family.

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Important: This calculator provides general educational estimates only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by its use. Figures are estimates based on New Jersey statutory fee schedules (including executor/administrator corpus commissions under N.J.S.A. 3B:18-14), typical surrogate's court fees, typical surety bond premium rates, and customary ranges for professional fees in New Jersey; your actual costs will vary based on your circumstances, your county, the assets involved, and how your estate is administered. Executor commissions may be waived. A revocable living trust does not avoid New Jersey inheritance tax, which depends on the relationship of your beneficiaries; planning strategies may reduce that exposure. The estate planning fee shown is an average; every situation is unique, and an exact price cannot be determined or guaranteed by this calculator. The Himmel Law Firm provides an exact flat-fee quote — before anything begins — at your Planning Session. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

The Himmel Law Firm · 277 North Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07208 · (908) 671-1434 · himmellawfirm.com