Quick answer: NMSA 1978 § 45-3-719 entitles a personal representative to "reasonable compensation for his services" — that's the entire standard. No percentage, no schedule, no enumerated factors in the text. Get an illustrative estimate with the New Mexico executor fee calculator.
The bare Uniform Probate Code standard
NMSA 1978 § 45-3-719: "A personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation for his services." Unlike some other Uniform Probate Code states, New Mexico's version doesn't add a list of factors for the court to weigh — it's the shortest possible version of the "reasonable compensation" standard.
A real, deliberate rewrite in 1995 — and why it matters for old cases
Legislative history: § 45-3-719 was repealed and reenacted by Laws 1995, ch. 210, § 38, replacing an older, percentage-driven predecessor with the current bare standard. This is directly relevant if you come across an older New Mexico probate case citing a specific dollar figure or percentage — the official annotations to the current statute explicitly flag those cases as decided under that former law, not the text in force today.
Two annotated cases that no longer apply
In re Estate of Corwin (1987-NMCA-100): discussed a "reduced rate of compensation" that applied to certain probate assets like U.S. treasury notes under the old formula. In re Estate of Greig (1988-NMCA-037): discussed a trial court's authority, under an "unless otherwise ordered by the court" clause, to award fees above "the general compensation formula." Both cases are expressly annotated as decided under former law — under the current text, there's no formula to reduce a rate from or exceed in the first place.
The court can still review a self-determined fee
§ 45-3-721: after notice to interested persons or on petition of an interested person, the court may review the reasonableness of the compensation a personal representative determined for their own services, and order a refund of any excessive amount.
The will's compensation, and renouncing it
§ 45-3-719: 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.
A sense of typical figures
Because there's no statutory number, hourly rates for a family personal representative's own time in New Mexico vary by county and complexity; illustrative estimates commonly fall in the $30-$60/hr range for non-professional, family-member administration, with professional fiduciaries charging considerably more. These aren't statutory figures — only the reasonableness standard is.
Facing probate in New Mexico?
Talk to a New Mexico attorneyA local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.