Quick answer: Iowa's main probate cost is a statutory 6/4/2% fee schedule that applies to both the executor and the attorney, so the ordinary fee is roughly double the schedule. Add a 0.2% court cost and publication. There's no death tax. On a $500,000 estate that's about $10,120 each in fees. Get your own figure with the Iowa probate cost calculator.
The fee schedule — a ceiling on both fees
Under § 633.197, the fee is a sliding scale on the gross probate inventory:
| Portion of the probate inventory | Rate |
|---|---|
| First $1,000 | 6% |
| Next $4,000 (to $5,000) | 4% |
| Over $5,000 | 2% |
Applies twice: § 633.198 caps the attorney's ordinary fee at the same schedule, separate from the executor's. It's a ceiling — the court can allow less. Debts aren't deducted; non-probate assets (joint, POD/TOD, life insurance to a beneficiary) are excluded.
Court cost & the tax picture
Court cost (§ 633.31): 0.2% of the probate assets, plus small clerk fees. No death tax: Iowa repealed its inheritance tax for deaths on or after January 1, 2025, and has had no estate tax since 2005 — only federal above the federal exemption.
Worked total examples
Executor and attorney each at the schedule maximum, court cost 0.2%, plus ~$360 publication/clerk:
| Estate value | Executor | Attorney | Court (0.2%) | Approx. total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $2,120 | $2,120 | $200 | ≈ $4,800 |
| $500,000 | $10,120 | $10,120 | $1,000 | ≈ $21,600 |
| $1,000,000 | $20,120 | $20,120 | $2,000 | ≈ $42,600 |
Includes ~$360 publication + clerk fees. Both fees are statutory maximums — the court can allow less, and family executors often waive theirs, cutting the total substantially. Run your own numbers in the calculator.
How to reduce Iowa probate costs
- Executor waives the fee if a family member and beneficiary — removes a full schedule amount.
- Use the small estate affidavit — personal property up to $100,000, no real estate (§ 633.356).
- Use Chapter 635 administration for estates up to $200,000.
- Keep assets out of the inventory — joint tenancy, POD/TOD and a living trust reduce the fee base.