Quick answer: Kentucky does not set probate attorney fees by statute — KRS 395.150 is silent on legal fees. They must be reasonable, and are often in the same range as the 5% executor cap, or billed hourly or as a flat fee. A simple estate commonly runs a few thousand dollars.
How Kentucky probate attorneys bill
Reasonable, no statutory schedule
Unlike the executor fee, which KRS 395.150 caps at 5% of the personal estate, attorney fees have no statutory cap in that section. Attorneys quote a flat fee for a routine estate, an hourly rate, or occasionally a percentage. The fee must be reasonable and, if paid from the estate, is subject to review in the court settlement.
Do you need an attorney?
Kentucky doesn't require one for every estate, and simple ones are sometimes handled without full representation — especially where the court can dispense with administration. But probate gets technical (creditor notice, the inheritance-tax return, the final settlement), so most estates use counsel.
How to keep Kentucky probate attorney fees down
- Agree a flat fee up front for a routine estate, in writing.
- Keep organized records — a clean file cuts billable time.
- Use dispense-with-administration where the estate qualifies.
- Plan with a trust to avoid probate entirely.
Attorney fees are only one cost. See the full picture in the Kentucky probate cost breakdown, or estimate your total with the Kentucky probate cost calculator.