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Executor Compensation Laws in New Jersey

In New Jersey, executors may take corpus commissions of 5% on the first $200,000, 3.5% up to $1,000,000, and 2% above that, plus 1% per additional fiduciary, and 6% of income received.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

New Jersey at a glance

Compensation method
Statutory commissions on corpus and income
A court may reduce corpus commissions only on a beneficiary's showing that services were materially deficient or far less demanding than usual.
Statutory fee schedule
5% first $200,000; 3.5% to $1 million; 2% above; 6% of income
Add 1% of corpus for each additional fiduciary, but no single fiduciary gets more than a sole fiduciary would.
Percentage schedule in statute
Yes

Sources

Last checked

The rules in New Jersey

How is an executor paid in New Jersey?

Compensation method in New Jersey: Statutory commissions on corpus and income. A court may reduce corpus commissions only on a beneficiary's showing that services were materially deficient or far less demanding than usual.

What percentage can an executor charge in New Jersey?

Statutory fee schedule in New Jersey: 5% first $200,000; 3.5% to $1 million; 2% above; 6% of income. Add 1% of corpus for each additional fiduciary, but no single fiduciary gets more than a sole fiduciary would.

Does New Jersey law set executor fees by a percentage schedule?

Yes. Percentage schedule in statute in New Jersey: yes.

Where do the New Jersey executor compensation laws come from?

The rules above come from N.J. Stat. Ann. 3B:18-14 and N.J. Stat. Ann. 3B:18-13. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

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.