New Hampshire Executor Fee Calculator

Q: How much does an executor get paid in Manchester or Nashua?

NH Probate Division Rule 88's 'reasonable' standard applies statewide, including Hillsborough County. There's no county-specific rate.

Q: Why does the payment order matter?

Because RSA 554:19 places administration costs and expenses - which include executor compensation - ahead of funeral expenses in the priority of claims, a specific and somewhat unusual ranking worth knowing if an estate has limited assets.

How the New Hampshire executor fee actually works

No statute anywhere in New Hampshire law addresses this — the entire standard comes from a rule of court.

1. Governed by court rule, not by any statute

NH Circuit Court, Probate Division, Rule 88: "Fees and expenses of Fiduciaries and Attorneys shall be subject to the approval of the Court. In all cases, fees and expenses shall be reasonable for the work, responsibility, and risk." New Hampshire has no statute on point for executor compensation at all — a genuine difference in legal source, not just wording, from states where a legislature has written even a bare "reasonable compensation" statute.

2. Three named factors, from the rule itself

Rule 88: reasonableness turns on the work performed, the responsibility assumed, and the risk involved — three named factors baked directly into the rule's own text, rather than left to case law to supply.

3. Executor compensation comes first in the payment order

RSA § 554:19: "The administrator of an estate shall make payment of the claims in the following order: (a) Costs and expenses of administration of the estate. (b) Reasonable and necessary funeral, burial, and cremation expenses." Administration costs and expenses — which include executor compensation — are paid before even funeral expenses, a real and specific priority ranking.

4. Attorney fees run on the identical standard

Rule 88: the same reasonableness standard governs both fiduciary and attorney fees, though they're calculated and approved separately — there's no combined or duplicated schedule between the two roles.

5. The court approves, not the executor alone

Rule 88: fees are "subject to the approval of the court" — the Circuit Court, Probate Division reviews and approves compensation directly, rather than leaving it to the executor's own determination subject only to later challenge.

Component	New Hampshire figure
Statutory formula	None — no statute exists on this at all
Governing source	NH Probate Div. Rule 88 (court rule)
Named factors	Work, responsibility, risk
Commonly cited informal range	~2% – 4% of estate value

New Hampshire executor fee — frequently asked questions

How much does an executor get paid in Manchester or Nashua?

NH Probate Division Rule 88's "reasonable" standard applies statewide, including Hillsborough County. There's no county-specific rate.

Is there really no statute at all?

Correct - unlike most states, New Hampshire's legislature has not passed a statute setting executor compensation. The entire standard comes from a rule adopted by the Circuit Court, Probate Division.

Why does the payment order matter?

Because RSA § 554:19 places administration costs and expenses - which include executor compensation - ahead of funeral expenses in the priority of claims, a specific and somewhat unusual ranking worth knowing if an estate has limited assets.

Is 2%-4% a reliable estimate?

It's a commonly cited informal range, not a rule - actual court-approved amounts depend on the work, responsibility, and risk involved in the specific estate.

Is the New Hampshire executor fee taxable?

Yes — compensation is taxable income under federal law regardless of state. See our guide to how it's taxed, and when to waive it for the IRS rules on self-employment tax and reporting.

This calculator provides an estimate for general guidance only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. New Hampshire has no statute governing executor compensation; figures here follow NH Circuit Court, Probate Division, Rule 88 and a commonly cited, non-binding informal range. The hours and rate used are illustrative inputs you control, not figures set by any rule. Confirm current figures with the Circuit Court, Probate Division, or a licensed New Hampshire attorney before acting.