Do co-executors in Georgia each get a full commission?

No. Georgia law provides one total commission for the estate. If more than one personal representative serves at the same time, that single commission is divided among them according to the services each one actually rendered - it does not multiply by the number of executors.

How is the executor commission divided between co-executors in Georgia?

By services rendered, under O.C.G.A. 53-6-60. There is no automatic 50/50 split - if one co-executor did most of the work and the other signed occasional documents, the probate court can approve an uneven division that reflects that.

Can a Georgia personal representative earn a commission on fees paid to a co-executor?

No. O.C.G.A. 53-6-60(e) specifically blocks this - a personal representative does not earn a commission on any sum paid to another personal representative of the same estate as that person's own commission or compensation.

Georgia Co-Executors: How Is the Fee Split?

Quick answer: No, co-executors don't each get a full commission in Georgia. There is one total commission for the estate, and if more than one personal representative serves at the same time, that single amount is divided among them according to the services each one actually rendered — not split evenly by headcount, and not multiplied by the number of executors. Estimate the total pool first with the Georgia executor fee calculator, then use this page to think through how it would be divided.

One commission, divided by work done

O.C.G.A. § 53-6-60: "If there is more than one personal representative serving simultaneously, the division of the compensation allowed them shall be according to the services rendered by each." Georgia doesn't default to an even split, and it doesn't award each co-executor a separate full commission the way a handful of other states do for small groups of executors — there is exactly one commission pool for the estate, sized under the normal § 53-6-60(b) formula, and the probate court allocates it based on who actually did the work.

This differs from some other states

Georgia's "one pool, divided by contribution" rule is the most common approach nationally, but it isn't universal. New York uses a size-based formula (SCPA § 2307) where two co-executors on a mid-sized estate can each collect a full commission rather than splitting one. Florida gives each of exactly two co-personal-representatives a full commission on estates above $100,000. Georgia has no such multiplier — the total available never exceeds what a single executor would have received.

No commission on paying a co-executor

§ 53-6-60(e), the anti-double-dip rule: a personal representative does not earn their own 2.5% "paid out" commission on any sum that is paid to another personal representative of the same estate as that person's commission or compensation. Without this, a co-executor writing the check for a colleague's fee could technically claim a commission on that payment too — the statute blocks it.

Successive vs. simultaneous representatives

Don't confuse co-executors serving together with a successive personal representative who takes over after the first one dies, resigns, or is removed. Georgia has a separate rule for that situation (§ 53-6-60(d)): the estate isn't charged fresh full commissions at each handover — the receiving-side commission goes to whoever actually received the property, and the paying-side commission to whoever actually pays it out, so the total still doesn't multiply just because the role changed hands.

Worked example

Two siblings serve as co-executors of a $300,000 Georgia estate (received and paid out), generating the standard $15,000 commission (2.5% + 2.5%) under § 53-6-60(b).

Scenario	Sibling A	Sibling B	Total
Even split (roughly equal work)	$7,500	$7,500	$15,000
Uneven split (A did most of the work)	$12,000	$3,000	$15,000
One waives entirely	$15,000	$0	$15,000

In every scenario, the total stays at $15,000 — only the division between the two co-executors changes.

Avoiding disputes between co-executors

Because the split is based on "services rendered" rather than a fixed formula, co-executors who disagree about the division should document their respective time and tasks as they go, not reconstruct it at the end. If they can't agree, the probate court decides the split — the same way it would resolve any other disputed compensation question under § 53-6-60.

Facing probate in Georgia?

A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.

Talk to a Georgia attorney

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on O.C.G.A. § 53-6-60. The commission pool is sized the same way regardless of how many personal representatives serve; only its division among them changes. A will or written agreement can set different terms for multiple executors. Consult a Georgia probate attorney to resolve a specific dispute over division.