District of Columbia Executor Fees Calculator

What the Calculator Uses in District of ColumbiaThe method behind the estimate, and what it leaves out

The District of Columbia has no statutory compensation formula to apply, so this page presents the rule rather than a computed fee. A personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation for services under D.C. Code § 20-751, except as the court orders for good cause for a supervised personal representative or a special administrator, may renounce a will's compensation clause and take reasonable compensation instead, and may renounce all or part of the fee. A small estates personal representative takes no commission (§ 20-354(a)). No dollar figure here is a court order, and the court fees paid to the Register of Wills, attorney fees, any bond premium, publication of the notice of appointment and recording fees are all separate.

The estimate is a starting point, not a guaranteed fee. Courts can still review the work performed, the estate documents, and whether the representative is seeking compensation for services beyond the ordinary baseline.

What affects the feeOrdinary rules, extraordinary services, and tax consequences

Ordinary Fee Rule

The estimate begins with the state-specific ordinary compensation method, not a one-size-fits-all national formula.

Extraordinary Services

Sales of real property, business management, litigation, tax work, and unusual court proceedings can justify additional compensation in some estates.

Tax Consequences

Executor compensation is usually treated differently from the inheritance itself, which is why many fiduciaries consider whether waiving the fee creates a better tax result.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an executor get paid in the District of Columbia?

Whatever is reasonable for the services actually performed, not a share of the estate. D.C. Code § 20-751 entitles a personal representative to reasonable compensation for services and sets no rate, so nothing here can be computed from an estate value, and any figure presented as the D.C. executor fee is local custom or a private agreement rather than the law. Keep a record of what was done and how long it took, because that is what shows a fee is reasonable.

Can the court change an executor's pay in the District of Columbia?

Yes. On the petition of an interested person, or on motion in a supervised estate, and after notice and a hearing, the Probate Division may review whether the compensation a personal representative claimed or took is reasonable, weighing the work performed, any estimate given, the time spent and usual hourly rate, the complexity and results, and whether time limits were met, and may order any excess refunded (D.C. Code § 20-753). Section 20-751 also lets the court order otherwise "for good cause shown" for a supervised personal representative or a special administrator. In unsupervised administration, the usual D.C. arrangement, the personal representative files no accounts with the court, and each interested person is sent an account with 60 days to object before the estate closes by a Certificate of Completion (D.C. Code § 20-735).

What if the will sets the executor's fee in the District of Columbia?

The personal representative can take it or turn it down. If the will provides for compensation and there is no contract with the person who died about it, the personal representative may renounce the will's provision, before or after qualifying, and be entitled to reasonable compensation instead (D.C. Code § 20-751).

Can an executor waive the fee in the District of Columbia?

Yes. A personal representative may renounce the right to all or any part of the compensation, and a written renunciation of fee may be filed with the court (D.C. Code § 20-751). A personal representative who is also a main beneficiary often does, because the same money then arrives as an inheritance rather than as taxable income.

Does an executor get paid in a D.C. small estate?

No. A personal representative appointed in a small estates proceeding, for property subject to administration in the District of $80,000 or less, is not entitled to any commission and need not hire an attorney or give bond (D.C. Code §§ 20-351, 20-354(a)). The no-court affidavit for an estate of $40,000 or less with no real estate has no personal representative at all (§ 20-361).

Are attorney fees separate from the executor fee in the District of Columbia?

Yes. They are two different charges, and the D.C. Code sections read for this page set no percentage for either, so an attorney's fee is set by agreement. In an estate that cannot pay every claim, fiduciary and attorney fees together rank third in the order of payment, after court costs, publication and bond premiums and after funeral expenses up to $5,000, up to $1,000 (D.C. Code § 20-906(a)).

Is executor compensation taxable in the District of Columbia?

A fee for serving is taxable income to the person who takes it, while an inheritance is not. D.C. has no inheritance tax, and its own estate tax reaches only an estate above $4,988,400 for 2026 deaths, so for most families the income-tax difference is what decides whether taking the fee is worth it. Review the income-tax and estate-accounting effects before taking the fee or renouncing it.

Is the person in charge called an executor or a personal representative in the District of Columbia?

D.C. law uses personal representative for both someone named in a will and someone appointed without one, and people still say executor. D.C. Code § 20-751 is titled compensation and speaks of the personal representative. Whichever word the family uses, the same reasonable-compensation rule applies, and the estate is a case in the Probate Division of the Superior Court, the District's only probate court.

Official Sources and Further ReadingOfficial references used for this page

Information current as of May 31, 2026

Settled Estate is not a law firm, and this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Probate laws and procedures in District of Columbia can change. Consult with a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation. Full disclaimer.

District of Columbia Executor Compensation Calculator

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Ordinary Fee Rule

Extraordinary Services

Tax Consequences

Frequently Asked Questions

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