Vermont Co-Executors: How Is the Fee Split?

Q: Does Vermont law require co-executors to be bonded together or separately?

Neither is required - the Probate Division may take a separate bond from each co-executor or co-administrator, with or without sureties, or a joint bond from any or all of them, giving the court flexibility in how it secures the estate.

Q: Can one Vermont co-executor sue another over unpaid shared expenses?

Yes - a separate Vermont statute allows an administrator or executor to bring an action against a coadministrator or coexecutor who neglects to pay the debts and funeral charges of the estate in proportion to the estate in that person's hands, and to recover that proportion, with the right to have the issue tried to a jury.

Q: Does 14 V.S.A. section 1065 specify how co-executors split compensation?

No - the statute speaks of an executor or administrator in the singular and gives no formula for dividing necessary expenses or reasonable fees among multiple people serving in the role.

Q: If a Vermont will names co-executors and sets their compensation, does the renunciation rule apply to each of them separately?

The statute's renunciation mechanism is framed around the executor's own claim, so logically each co-executor who wants to decline the will's compensation term would need their own written instrument filed with the Probate Division.

Q: Do Vermont co-executors need a written agreement on how to split duties?

Not required by statute, but a clear written understanding of who handles which tasks can help support each person's share if compensation is later questioned.

Quick answer: No, Vermont co-executors don't have a statutory formula splitting compensation between them. 14 V.S.A. § 1065 speaks of "an executor or administrator" in the singular, with no multi-person provision. But two other Vermont statutes shape how multiple fiduciaries actually operate together: one lets the court bond them separately or jointly, and another lets one co-executor sue another who doesn't pay their fair share of estate obligations. Estimate the underlying illustrative range first with the Vermont executor fee calculator.

Bonds: separate or joint, court's choice

14 V.S.A. § 908: "When two or more persons are appointed as executors or administrators, the Probate Division of the Superior Court may take a separate bond from each, with or without sureties, or a joint bond with or without sureties from any or all." The court has real flexibility here — it isn't locked into one structure just because more than one person is serving.

Co-executors can sue each other over unpaid shares

12 V.S.A. § 4251: Vermont law allows "an administrator or executor against his or her coadministrator or coexecutor, who neglects to pay the debts and funeral charges of the intestate or testator, in proportion to the estate in his or her hands," to bring an action and "recover such proportion" — and the issue may be tried to a jury. This is a real accountability mechanism between co-fiduciaries: each is expected to contribute their proportional share toward shared estate obligations, and the law gives the others a direct remedy if one doesn't.

No compensation-splitting formula either way

Neither § 908's bonding flexibility nor § 4251's accountability action supplies a formula for dividing the compensation itself under § 1065. What they establish is that Vermont's statutes treat co-executors as individually accountable for their own proportional share of the estate's obligations — a structural fact that would naturally inform how a Probate Division judge reasons about splitting a fee request between them.

The will's clause, applied to each co-executor

§ 1065's renunciation mechanism: if a will names co-executors and sets their compensation, the statute's language about renouncing "all claim to the compensation provided by the will" is framed around the individual executor's own claim. Logically, each co-executor who wants to decline the will's term and use the statutory standard instead would need to file their own written renunciation.

Real coordination costs, same as anywhere

Co-executors in Vermont 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 assessed, though § 4251 gives Vermont co-executors a specific legal tool most states' statutes don't spell out this explicitly.

Worked example

Two siblings serve as co-executors of a Vermont estate worth $500,000. One handles the bulk of the administrative work; the other contributes occasionally. A sole executor doing all the work might reasonably take an illustrative 3% compensation, or $15,000.

Co-executor	Share of work	Illustrative compensation
Sibling A (primary administrator)	80%	$12,000
Sibling B (occasional support)	20%	$3,000

Illustrative only — Vermont's statute doesn't specify how to split compensation between co-executors; each person's reasonable share reflects their own actual contribution, up to the combined illustrative $15,000 total.

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Vermont co-executors — frequently asked questions

Does Vermont law require co-executors to be bonded together or separately?

Neither is required — the Probate Division may take separate bonds or a joint bond, at its discretion.

Can one Vermont co-executor sue another over unpaid shared expenses?

Yes — a co-executor who neglects to pay their proportional share of debts and funeral charges can be sued, with the issue triable to a jury.

Does 14 V.S.A. section 1065 specify how co-executors split compensation?

No — it speaks of an executor or administrator in the singular, with no multi-person formula.

If a Vermont will names co-executors and sets their compensation, does the renunciation rule apply to each of them separately?

Logically yes — each would need their own written instrument filed with the Probate Division.

Do Vermont co-executors need a written agreement on how to split duties?

Not required by statute, but a clear understanding helps support each person's share if questioned.

Estimate for general guidance only, not legal advice. Based on 14 V.S.A. § 1065, 14 V.S.A. § 908, and 12 V.S.A. § 4251. Vermont has no statutory formula for dividing compensation among co-executors; the illustrative 80/20 split above is not a rule of law. Consult a Vermont probate attorney to resolve a specific dispute over compensation or shared obligations between co-executors.