Probate cost in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, estates up to $50,000 can often skip full probate. For a $300,000 estate, the court fee is $600.
Wisconsin's small estate limit is $50,000. Above it, the estate usually goes through probate.
- Court fee to open probate source$600
- Attorney feeNot confirmednot confirmed
- Executor fee sourceSet by state law$6,000
Probate total$6,600+
The total leaves out the costs shown without a number.
- Quicken WillMaker & Trust Plus sourceOne-time price for one person$149
- Yearly feeoptional yearly renewal$40
- Moving a home into the trustSet by your county recordercounty recording fee
Trust total$149+
Assets left outside the trust can still need probate.
Probate cost by estate size
| Estate value | Court fee | Attorney (law) | Executor (law) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $200 | not set by law | $2,000 | $2,200+ |
| $250,000 | $500 | not set by law | $5,000 | $5,500+ |
| $500,000 | $1,000 | not set by law | $10,000 | $11,000+ |
| $1,000,000 | $2,000 | not set by law | $20,000 | $22,000+ |
"Not set by law" means the fee is agreed with the lawyer or set by the court, so it is not in the total. Use your own numbers.
The rules in Wisconsin
- Small estate limit: $50,000 (Transfer by affidavit (Wis. Stat. 867.03)). Can cover real estate. Wis. Stat. 867.03(1g): property subject to administration in Wisconsin of $50,000 or less gross value. Heirs, trustees of the decedent's revocable trust and former guardians may receive real property; a named PR who is not one of these may not (1h). No waiting period appears in (1g); a 30-day hold applies only to affidavits from a named PR who is not an heir, trustee or guardian (1j). Rest of section not fully read. Wayback copy dated June 2, 2026 (live site refused connections). Source
- Simplified probate: Summary assignment of small estates (Wis. Stat. 867.02), up to $50,000. Source
- Court fee: $600 for a $300,000 estate. Wis. Stat. 814.66(1)(a)2.-3.: $20 if the property subject to administration, less encumbrances, liens or charges, is $10,000 or less; otherwise 0.2% of that net value. Paid when the inventory is filed. $300,000 net estate: $600. Read on a Wayback copy dated April 19, 2025. Lead not read: 2025 Wis. Act 179 may change 814.66 fees from Nov. 1, 2026. Source
- Attorney fee: not confirmed. No statute read that sets a standard. Wis. Stat. 857.05(3) lets the court allow attorney fees when the PR is also the attorney, but sets no rate. Expected type: reasonable.
- Executor fee: Set by state law. Wis. Stat. 857.05(2): 2%, or another rate agreed in writing by the decedent (or the majority-interest takers) and the PR, subject to court approval. Court may add reasonable sums for unusual difficulty or extraordinary services, and may cut pay for dereliction. Wayback copy dated May 27, 2026. Source
Some Wisconsin rules could not be checked on a current official page. Each rule links to the source we used. Confirm with the court or a lawyer before you rely on it.
General information from official state sources, not legal advice.