Vermont Probate Cost: The Full Breakdown

Q: Why do the worked totals list the filing fee before the executor and attorney fees?

The filing fee is the one figure fixed exactly by statute regardless of who serves or what they're paid, so it anchors the estimate before the illustrative, variable executor and attorney figures are added.

Q: Would a will's compensation clause change the worked totals shown here?

Potentially - if the will sets a specific dollar amount or method instead of the illustrative percentage used here, that figure would replace the executor fee line unless renounced.

Q: Does the $130 publication figure in the worked totals come from a Vermont fee schedule?

No - Vermont has no statute or fee schedule pricing newspaper publication of the notice to creditors; the figure here is an illustrative placeholder, and actual cost depends on the local newspaper used.

Q: Do the worked totals include Vermont's separate estate tax?

No - the state estate tax under 32 V.S.A. section 7442a is a distinct calculation above a $5,000,000 exemption and is not part of these probate administration totals.

Quick answer: Vermont sets no fixed percentage for the executor or attorney fee. Vermont's twist: if the will itself names a compensation amount, that provision controls automatically — the executor must actively renounce it to fall back to the reasonable-fee standard. The court filing fee isn't a percentage either; it's a flat dollar amount for your estate's value band, identical in all 14 counties. Get your own estimate with the Vermont probate cost calculator.

1. Executor fee — the will's clause controls unless renounced

14 V.S.A. § 1065: an executor or administrator is allowed necessary expenses plus reasonable fees for services, with no percentage or factors listed. Unusually, if the will sets its own compensation, that's full satisfaction unless the executor files a written renunciation with the Probate Division, or the court orders otherwise — the opposite default from most states.

Because the fee isn't fixed by statute (absent a will provision), any percentage shown in this guide is an illustrative market-rate estimate. Family executors frequently waive the fee.

2. Attorney fee — also reasonable, and often skipped entirely

No fixed schedule, no requirement: Vermont requires no attorney for any probate route — small estate, waiver of administration, or full administration can all be self-filed by the executor or administrator, with help from the Judiciary's Access and Resource Center.

3. Court cost & the tax picture — fixed dollars, not percentages

32 V.S.A. § 1434(a): the filing fee is a flat amount by estate-value band, identical statewide: $50 (≤$10k), $110 (≤$50k), $265 (≤$150k), $500 (≤$500k), $1,000 (≤$1M), $1,750 (≤$5M), $2,500 (≤$10M), $3,250 (above). No inheritance tax. Vermont's own estate tax (§ 7442a) applies only above a $5,000,000 exemption, at a flat 16%.

Illustrative worked totals

At an illustrative ~2.5% each for the executor and attorney, using the real filing-fee bands:

Estate value	Filing fee (§ 1434)	Executor fee (est.)	Attorney (est.)	Approx. total
$45,000	$110	$1,125	$1,125	≈ $2,490
$150,000	$265	$3,750	$3,750	≈ $7,895
$500,000	$500	$12,500	$12,500	≈ $25,630

Includes $130 publication on top of the filing fee. Executor and attorney figures are illustrative only — Vermont sets no statutory percentage for either, and the will's own clause may control instead. Run your own numbers in the calculator.

How to reduce Vermont probate costs

Use the small estate route — $45,000 or less, entirely personal property, for a faster process (though the same filing fee band applies).
Use waiver of administration if there's a sole heir or beneficiary who's also the sole fiduciary, with no Vermont real property.
Executor waives the fee if a family member and beneficiary.
Self-file — Vermont doesn't require an attorney for any route.

Vermont probate cost breakdown — frequently asked questions

Why do the worked totals list the filing fee before the executor and attorney fees?

It's the one figure fixed exactly by statute regardless of who serves, anchoring the estimate before the variable figures.

Would a will's compensation clause change the worked totals shown here?

Potentially — a will-specified amount would replace the executor fee line unless renounced.

Does the $130 publication figure in the worked totals come from a Vermont fee schedule?

No — no statute prices newspaper publication; it's an illustrative placeholder here.

Do the worked totals include Vermont's separate estate tax?

No — the state estate tax above $5,000,000 is a distinct calculation, not part of these totals.

Why does the filing fee stay the same between the $150,000 and $500,000 examples if the band changes at $150,000?

It doesn't — the $500,000 example sits in the next band up, at $500 rather than $265.

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal or tax advice. Vermont sets no statutory percentage for the executor fee (14 V.S.A. § 1065) or the attorney fee; the will's own compensation clause controls by default unless renounced. Figures shown are illustrative market-rate estimates, not legal rates. Filing fee: fixed-dollar bands from $50 to $3,250 (32 V.S.A. § 1434). Small estate: $45,000, personal property only (14 V.S.A. § 1901). Vermont has no inheritance tax; its separate $5,000,000 estate tax (32 V.S.A. § 7442a) is not computed by this calculator. Verify with the Probate Division or a licensed Vermont attorney.

Vermont Probate Cost: Full Breakdown