Getting experts involved will get expensive
If you decide to get a lawyer involved, you’ll end up in a lot of in-person consultation meetings before deciding on someone you like, who has time, and who is specialized in estate law. This won’t only take up a lot of time, it could cost you too—not everyone does free consultations.
Once you’ve decided on a lawyer, they’ll take over the probate application for you. This can cost you up to $1,500 upfront. And then there’s a lawyer’s hourly fee: That can range from anywhere between $250 to $500. And keep in mind that estates take months and several hours of work before they’re settled.
Perhaps you’ve also been advised to hire the services of an accountant to deal with the deceased’s final tax return and report any earnings the estate may be generating during the settlement process. Once again, you’ll probably have to go through various meetings before settling on someone, and then you’ll be looking at fees between $1,500 to $3,000. At the end of the entire ordeal, you may be looking at several thousand dollars in costs.