Quick answer: Opening an estate in Alaska costs a flat $150 Superior Court filing fee, set statewide by Alaska Supreme Court order. The collection-by-affidavit procedure needs no court filing at all. Publication and bond are extra. See the full picture in the Alaska probate cost calculator.
Superior Court fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial probate filing (informal or formal) | $150 flat |
| Depositing a will with the court for safekeeping | $40 |
| Registration of a trust document | $40 |
| Collection-by-affidavit | $0 (not filed with the court) |
Set statewide by Alaska Supreme Court order; fee waivers are available for those who meet income guidelines. Confirm with the Alaska Court System.
Other administration costs
- Publication to creditors — newspaper notice; creditors have 4 months from first publication to present claims.
- Bond — may be required unless waived by the will or the court.
- Appraisal — if real estate, a business, or unusual assets like fishing permits must be valued.
- Personal representative & attorney fees — the real variables, both reasonable amounts under AS § 13.16.430, with no statutory percentage or calculation method.
Not the big cost: the flat $150 filing fee is small next to the personal representative and attorney fees — especially in Alaska, where attorney fees often run higher than the national norm. Alaska has no estate or inheritance tax, so there's no death-tax layer.
Ways to keep court costs down
- Collection-by-affidavit — up to $100,000 in vehicles plus $50,000 in other personal property, no filing fee at all (AS § 13.16.680).
- Small estate closing by sworn statement — once the estate falls below statutory allowances and costs (§ 13.16.695).
- Ask for a fee waiver if you meet the Alaska Court System's income guidelines.