Quick answer: Washington doesn't size a single commission for the estate the way percentage-based states do, so there's no fixed pool for co-personal representatives to divide. Because RCW 11.48.210 ties compensation to what the court finds "just and reasonable" for the services actually performed, the same standard applies to compensation requests from multiple personal representatives — assessed on the actual work each one did, not a predetermined split of one total. Estimate a starting figure with the Washington executor fee calculator.
A common point of confusion, cleared up
No pool, because there was never a formula
In Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio, a single statutory or court-approved commission is sized for the estate and then divided among co-executors. Washington skips that step entirely — since RCW 11.48.210 never calculates a percentage-based total in the first place, there's nothing to apportion. Each personal representative's compensation request is evaluated on its own footing, under the same "just and reasonable" factors — time, effort, complexity, and results — that would apply to a sole personal representative.
Uneven contributions are entirely normal
Because compensation tracks actual work rather than a fixed formula, it's ordinary for co-personal representatives to end up with meaningfully different amounts. One who handled the bulk of the estate's administration — inventorying assets, managing creditor claims, preparing the accounting — can reasonably request, and a court can reasonably approve, considerably more than a co-personal representative whose involvement was minor.
Document the actual division of labor
Since the court's determination turns on the work actually performed, co-personal representatives are well served by keeping records of who did what as administration happens — the same documentation that supports a reasonable fee for one personal representative is what lets a court fairly assess two or more.
Worked example
Two siblings serve as co-personal representatives of a $400,000 Washington estate. One handles most of the administration; the other contributes occasionally.
| Co-personal representative | Basis | Compensation approved |
|---|---|---|
| Sibling A (primary administrator) | Most of the work; court finds ~2.5% reasonable | $10,000 |
| Sibling B (occasional support) | Limited contribution; court finds ~0.5% reasonable | $2,000 |
Both figures are illustrative, independently assessed amounts — not a $12,000 pool split 5-to-1. Each is simply what the court found just and reasonable for that person's own work.
A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.