Quick answer: Opening an estate in Nebraska costs a modest filing fee, commonly in the $50–$100 range and varying by county. The small estate affidavits need no full probate filing. The real cost driver for many families is Nebraska's county inheritance tax, not the court fee. See the full picture in the Nebraska probate cost calculator.
County court fees
| Item | Approx. fee |
|---|---|
| Informal probate petition | ~$50–$100 |
| Personal property affidavit | Not filed as a full probate case |
| Real property affidavit | Recording fee with register of deeds |
Confirm the exact fee with your county court, since it varies.
Other administration costs
- Publication to creditors — newspaper notice; the claim period commonly runs 60 days from first publication (~$100–$200).
- Bond — may be required unless waived.
- Personal representative & attorney fees — reasonable amounts under §§ 30-2480/30-2482, no fixed percentage.
- Nebraska inheritance tax — the real variable, from 0% (spouse) to 15% (unrelated beneficiaries), assessed per beneficiary and due within 12 months of death.
Not the big cost: the filing fee is small. For most families with beneficiaries outside the immediate family, the county inheritance tax is a far larger line item than any court fee.
Ways to keep court costs down
- Small estate affidavits — personal property (§ 30-24,125) and real property (§ 30-24,129), each up to $100,000.
- Informal probate — the default UPC track, minimal court involvement.
- Ask the county court for the current fee schedule so you budget the exact amount.