Skip to content
Oakclause

Executor Compensation Laws in Kentucky

In Kentucky, executor compensation may not exceed 5% of the value of the decedent's personal estate plus 5% of the income collected, and the court can allow more for extraordinary services.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Kentucky at a glance

Compensation method
Capped percentage set by the court
The court may add fair and reasonable pay for unusual or extraordinary services, or for work on real estate or certain estate and inheritance taxes.
Statutory fee schedule
Cap: 5% of personal estate plus 5% of income
The cap is measured on the personal estate (not real estate) and on income the executor collects.
Percentage schedule in statute
Percentage cap

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Kentucky

How is an executor paid in Kentucky?

Compensation method in Kentucky: Capped percentage set by the court. The court may add fair and reasonable pay for unusual or extraordinary services, or for work on real estate or certain estate and inheritance taxes.

What percentage can an executor charge in Kentucky?

Statutory fee schedule in Kentucky: Cap: 5% of personal estate plus 5% of income. The cap is measured on the personal estate (not real estate) and on income the executor collects.

Does Kentucky law set executor fees by a percentage schedule?

Percentage cap. Percentage schedule in statute in Kentucky: percentage cap.

Where do the Kentucky executor compensation laws come from?

The rules above come from Ky. Rev. Stat. 395.150. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

The official text of KRS 395.150 shows an effective date of October 1, 1942, with no later amendment listed.

What this means in practice

A will can usually address executor pay directly, for example by setting a flat fee, a percentage, or stating that the executor serves without pay. Where the will is silent, the state's default rule applies. An executor can also choose to waive compensation, which some family members do because fees are generally taxable income while inheritances generally are not.

Executor compensation is separate from reimbursement of expenses and from fees paid to the estate's attorney, accountant, or other professionals. Keeping a written log of hours, tasks, and costs helps support a fee request and answers questions from heirs or the court.

Heirs and beneficiaries who believe a fee is too high can usually object in the probate proceeding, and courts can reduce, deny, or increase compensation in some circumstances. Rules on timing, court approval, and extraordinary services differ, so the statute for the state where the estate is probated is the starting point.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.