Kentucky Co-Executors: How Is the Fee Split?

Q: Does the extraordinary-services provision apply separately to each Kentucky co-executor?

Yes. Under KRS 395.150(2), a co-executor who performed services above and beyond what's normally required may still seek additional court-approved compensation for their own extraordinary contribution, independent of how the base amount is divided.

Quick answer: No, Kentucky co-executors don't each collect a separate full 5%+5%. Kentucky statute does not address how co-executors share compensation. Instead, the court sets one reasonable amount for the estate under KRS § 395.150, and allocates it among the executors serving. Estimate the underlying ceiling first with the Kentucky executor fee calculator.

No statutory formula, so the court decides

KRS § 395.150: the statute sets the 5%-of-personal-estate and 5%-of-income ceilings without a separate subsection addressing multiple executors — unlike states with an explicit multi-fiduciary formula (Florida, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina). Consistent with how this silence is handled elsewhere, the court sets one total reasonable figure and allocates it among the people actually serving.

What "allocation" likely means in practice

Because the underlying compensation is a percentage-based ceiling rather than an open-ended reasonableness standard, a Kentucky court apportioning that single amount among co-executors would reasonably look at how much of the administrative work each person actually performed — similar in spirit to how courts in other states divide a single pool, even though Kentucky's statute doesn't spell out the mechanics.

The extraordinary-services provision still applies

§ 395.150(2): if a co-executor performed services above and beyond what's normally required, that individual may still be able to seek additional court-approved compensation for their own extraordinary contribution — a path that exists independent of how the base 5%+5% figure gets divided among co-executors.

Real coordination costs, same as anywhere

Co-executors in Kentucky share fiduciary duties, and disagreements about pace, priorities, or how to divide tasks can slow administration or invite disputes — a practical consideration independent of how compensation eventually gets divided.

Worked example

Two siblings serve as co-executors of a Kentucky estate with a $500,000 personal estate. A sole executor doing all the work might reasonably receive the full $25,000 ceiling (5% of $500,000) under § 395.150(1).

Co-executor	Share of work	Illustrative compensation
Sibling A (primary administrator)	75%	$18,750
Sibling B (occasional support)	25%	$6,250

Illustrative only — Kentucky's statute doesn't specify how to split compensation between co-executors; the court decides based on the estate's circumstances and each person's actual contribution.

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Kentucky co-executors — frequently asked questions

Do Kentucky co-executors each get their own 5%+5%?

No. Kentucky statute does not address how co-executors share compensation. The court sets one reasonable amount for the estate under KRS § 395.150 and allocates it among the executors serving, rather than multiplying the cap per person.

Who decides how the fee is divided among Kentucky co-executors?

The probate court. Since the statute is silent on the specific mechanics of dividing compensation among co-executors, the court sets one total figure for the estate and allocates it among those serving.

Does the Kentucky Bar Association v. Jacobs case involve co-executors?

No — that case involved a sole attorney-executor who exceeded the KRS § 395.150(1) cap alone. It's referenced elsewhere in this guide as a reminder that getting compensation amounts and court approval right matters regardless of how many executors are serving.

Does the extraordinary-services provision apply separately to each Kentucky co-executor?

Yes. Under KRS § 395.150(2), a co-executor who performed services above and beyond what's normally required may still seek additional court-approved compensation for their own extraordinary contribution, independent of how the base amount is divided.

Can Kentucky co-executors be paid unequal shares?

Yes. Since the statute doesn't mandate an even split, a court allocating the single reasonable amount can reasonably weigh how much of the administrative work each co-executor actually performed.

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on KRS § 395.150. Kentucky has no statutory formula for dividing compensation among co-executors; the illustrative 75/25 split above is not a statutory rule. Consult a Kentucky probate attorney to resolve a specific dispute over compensation between co-executors.