Idaho Executor Fee: How Much Is It, Really?

Q: Is the $25/hr Idaho figure lower than what other reasonable-compensation states report?

Yes - it's meaningfully lower than the roughly $30 to $60 per hour illustrative ranges commonly cited for non-professionals in other states using the same bare reasonable-compensation standard.

Q: Could a different Idaho court approve a rate above $25/hr?

Yes - the figure reflects one attorney's direct experience, not a ceiling, so a different estate, county, or set of facts could reasonably support a different outcome.

Q: Does the professional rate for an attorney or accountant serving as personal representative need separate court approval in Idaho?

The statute doesn't distinguish a separate approval process for professionals - the same reasonable-compensation standard and review mechanism under section 15-3-721 apply.

Quick answer: Idaho Code § 15-3-719 entitles a personal representative to "reasonable compensation for his services" — no percentage, no schedule. A practicing Idaho probate attorney has reported seeing courts find rates up to about $25 an hour reasonable for non-professional personal representatives — a genuinely useful, concrete anchor in a state where the statute itself gives no number at all. Get an illustrative estimate with the Idaho executor fee calculator.

Reasonable compensation, and nothing else in the text

Idaho Code § 15-3-719: "A personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation for his services." That's the whole operative rule — the same bare Uniform Probate Code language used in several other states, with no percentage or dollar figure attached.

A real number, from a real practitioner

Racine Olson, a practicing Idaho wills and estates law firm: "I have personally seen Idaho courts determine that hourly rates up to $25 an hour are reasonable for non-professionals." This isn't law — it's a firsthand account from someone who has actually litigated these questions in Idaho courts, and it's a meaningfully lower figure than the $30-$60/hr illustrative ranges commonly cited in other reasonable-compensation states.

Professionals aren't held to the same number

Same source: "If a professional such as an accountant, or an attorney is appointed, they are entitled to be paid whatever their reasonable hourly rates are for their profession." A CPA or attorney serving as personal representative bills at their own professional rate, not the lower non-professional figure.

The court can still review a self-determined fee

Idaho Code § 15-3-721: lets an interested person petition the court to review the reasonableness of compensation a personal representative determined for their own services, with excessive amounts subject to refund.

The will's compensation, and renouncing it

§ 15-3-719: if the will sets compensation and there's no separate contract with the decedent about it, the personal representative may renounce that provision before qualifying and get reasonable compensation instead. A personal representative may also renounce all or part of the compensation generally, with a written renunciation filed with the court.

Take the $25/hr figure for what it is

It's one attorney's real, direct experience with Idaho courts — not a statutory ceiling, and not a guarantee that every court will land there. A different estate, a different county, or a different set of facts could reasonably support more (or less). Treat it as a grounded starting point, not a rule.

Facing probate in Idaho?

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Idaho executor fee — frequently asked questions

Why is one attorney's reported $25/hr figure treated as meaningful in Idaho when it's not a statute?

Because Idaho's statute gives no number at all, a practitioner's firsthand account of what courts have approved is a genuinely useful anchor point.

Is the $25/hr Idaho figure lower than what other reasonable-compensation states report?

Yes — meaningfully lower than the roughly $30 to $60 per hour ranges commonly cited in other states using the same standard.

Could a different Idaho court approve a rate above $25/hr?

Yes — the figure reflects one attorney's experience, not a ceiling, so a different estate or set of facts could support a different outcome.

Does the professional rate for an attorney or accountant serving as personal representative need separate court approval in Idaho?

The statute doesn't distinguish a separate process — the same reasonable-compensation standard and review mechanism apply.

Does keeping time records matter more in Idaho than in states with a percentage schedule?

Generally yes — since compensation is hourly and reasonableness-based, documented hours become the practical basis for the claim.

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on Idaho Code § 15-3-719, § 15-3-721. Idaho sets no statutory percentage or fixed hourly rate; the $25/hr figure reflects one practicing attorney's reported experience, not a statutory cap. Verify with the probate court or a licensed Idaho attorney.