Quick answer: There's no statutory percentage in Tennessee. Under T.C.A. § 30-2-606, a personal representative is entitled to "reasonable compensation for services" — and the probate court decides what's reasonable case by case. Some practitioners describe routine estates landing around 2-5% of estate value in practice, but that's an observation about outcomes, not a legal rate, and courts aren't bound by it. Get your own illustrative estimate with the Tennessee executor fee calculator.
No formula, by design
T.C.A. § 30-2-606: the clerk "shall credit the accounting party with a reasonable compensation for services." That's the entire statutory rule — short, and deliberately open-ended.
T.C.A. § 30-2-317 confirms that this compensation ranks as a first-priority administration cost, paid ahead of most other claims against the estate.
Tennessee courts have explicitly rejected fixed percentages
In re Estate of Young, 2016 WL 369587 (Tenn. Ct. App.): the Court of Appeals held that local rules requiring fees to be set by "a fixed criterion, such as a percentage of the estate," are antithetical to the requirement that reasonableness be determined case by case. Some Tennessee counties — Shelby County, for instance — have referenced informal local guidelines (roughly 1-2% of the first $100,000, 0.5-1% of the next $900,000, per secondary sources), but per Young, a court can depart from any such guideline.
What the court actually weighs
In re Estate of Schorn, 2015 WL 1778292 (Tenn. Ct. App.): personal representatives are entitled to reasonable compensation for services and reasonable expenses incurred in good faith. Reasonableness is determined by the trial court "in light of all the relevant circumstances," including the extent of personal responsibility, the promptness and adequacy of the work, and the value of benefits conferred on the estate. Perlberg v. Jahn, 773 S.W.2d 925 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1989), is the foundational case establishing the entitlement itself.
You have to ask for it
Compensation isn't simply withdrawn from estate funds. A Tennessee personal representative generally files a petition with the probate court requesting payment, and the court reviews the request against the size of the estate, the work performed, and whether any extraordinary services (real estate sales, running a business, litigation, tax audits) were required.
The will can set its own terms
If the will addresses compensation, its terms generally control, unless a court finds them unreasonable under the circumstances — Tennessee case law gives courts latitude to depart from any fixed arrangement that doesn't reflect the actual work involved.
Illustrative examples
| Estate value | ~2% | ~3% | ~5% |
|---|
| $150,000 | $3,000 | $4,500 | $7,500 |
| $300,000 | $6,000 | $9,000 | $15,000 |
| $600,000 | $12,000 | $18,000 | $30,000 |
These are illustrative, not statutory — the court can approve more or less based on the actual work involved. Model your own scenario in the calculator.
Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on T.C.A. § 30-2-606, T.C.A. § 30-2-317, and Tennessee case law (In re Estate of Young, In re Estate of Schorn, Perlberg v. Jahn). Tennessee sets no statutory percentage; illustrative figures come from secondary sources and informal local custom, not law, and courts are not bound by them. A will's own terms generally control unless found unreasonable. A court petition is generally required to receive compensation. Verify with the probate court or a licensed Tennessee attorney.