Fees of the estate representative

In addition to the above fees and costs, the representative of the estate is entitled to a fee for undertaking the duties of executor (if named in a will) or an administrator (if there is no will or if the will does not name a person willing and able to act).

Fees for an estate representative are usually computed based upon the hours of time devoted by the representative to estate matters. Hourly rates for estate representatives vary, depending upon the nature and extent of the representative's knowledge about finance and accounting matters, his or her educational experience, the size of the estate and the nature of its assets. Because representative fees are based upon hours worked, all representatives should keep a log of the hours they devote to estate matters, including the date of the work, the tasks performed and the hours worked on that date.