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Kentucky Probate Cost Calculator

See what would pass through probate, what settling the estate could cost, whether Kentucky inheritance tax applies, and how long it might take. It takes about a minute and no personal information is required.

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New for 2026: Nieces and Nephews No Longer Pay Kentucky Inheritance Tax

House Bill 869, signed into law on April 27, 2026, moved nieces and nephews (including half-blood) into the fully exempt Class A for deaths on or after January 1, 2026. Most websites still show the old 4% to 16% rates for them. The calculator below already reflects the new law.

Ask What This Means for Your Family

Estimate Kentucky Probate Costs and Taxes

Answer a few questions about the estate with ballpark figures. Your snapshot appears instantly, and nothing is sent to us unless you choose to share it at the end.

Kentucky Probate Cost and Timeline Calculator 2026

Answer a few questions about the estate to see what would pass through Kentucky probate, what it could cost to settle, whether Kentucky inheritance tax applies, and how long it might take. It takes about a minute, and nothing is sent to us unless you choose to share your snapshot at the end.

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Where should we send your snapshot?

Share your details and our Kentucky probate team will review your snapshot and follow up with next steps. No cost, no obligation.

Takes about a minute. Ballpark values are fine, and no personal information is required to see your snapshot.

How the Calculator Works

1

Describe the Estate

Rough values, whether there is a will and a surviving spouse, and who inherits. Ballparks are fine and no documents are needed.

2

See the Full Picture

One snapshot covers what passes through probate, likely settlement costs, Kentucky inheritance tax, and how long it should take.

3

Review It With Us, Free

Share your snapshot if you like, and our Kentucky probate team will look it over and follow up with next steps. No cost, no obligation.

The Kentucky Rules Behind the Calculator

Every figure comes from Kentucky statute and the Department of Revenue, including the 2026 changes.

Executor pay is capped at 5% of the personal property passing through probate, plus 5% of income the estate collects. Real estate stays out of that base unless it has to be sold.

A surviving spouse or children can claim a $30,000 exemption off the top, and small estates under it may skip full probate through a simplified court process.

Kentucky inheritance tax runs 4% to 16% for distant relatives and non-family, while spouses, children, parents, siblings, and now nieces and nephews pay nothing.

scott-collins talking to elderly client

Most Probate Costs Are Optional in Advance

Probate only touches what is titled in the person’s name alone. Survivorship deeds, beneficiary designations, and living trusts route assets straight to family, shrinking the executor commission and the court process along with them.

What does go through probate takes time by law. Kentucky estates must stay open at least six months so creditors can file claims, filing fees vary by county, and estates without a will follow the state’s intestacy formula, where a surviving spouse does not automatically receive everything.

Whether you are planning ahead or an estate is already open, our Kentucky probate team can tell you exactly which of these costs apply and which can still be avoided.

More Ways We Can Help

Related ways we help Kentucky families settle estates and protect what they’ve earned.

Get a Free Review of Your Probate Snapshot

Bring your snapshot to a free, no-pressure consultation. We will confirm the numbers, explain what applies to your family, and walk you through what comes next.

Schedule a Consultation(859) 544-6012

This calculator provides an educational estimate based on published Kentucky law as of 2026, including the change that made nieces and nephews exempt from inheritance tax for deaths on or after January 1, 2026. Costs and taxes depend on the date of death and each beneficiary’s situation. It is not legal advice, results are not a determination of costs or taxes, and using it does not create an attorney-client relationship.