A contingency fee is a type of payment arrangement where a lawyer agrees to accept a set percentage of the total amount of money recovered in a case, rather than billing by the hour. If no money is recovered, the lawyer does not get paid.
Probate lawyers who work on contingency typically charge between 30% and 40% of the total estate value recovered. For example, if the amount of an estate recovered is $100,000, the lawyer would charge anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000. The exact percentage varies depending on the complexity of the case and the amount of work involved.
In some cases, the attorney may also receive a percentage of any money that is recovered from creditors or other parties. If you are considering hiring a probate attorney, be sure to ask about their fee structure.