Iowa personal representative compensation

Iowa executor fee calculator

Iowa Code 633.197 sets a real statutory maximum-commission schedule on the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory: 6% of the first $1,000, 4% of the overplus between $1,000 and $5,000, and 2% of all sums over $5,000, received as full compensation for all ordinary services.

Sources reviewed August 9, 2026. Latest primary-source re-fetch October 3, 2026.

1. Where and when

StateIowaFixed to this page. Open the navigator to compare another state.

2. Compensation base

Asset 1

DescriptionValue$Not entered. A blank amount is not counted as zero.Enforceable liens or mortgage$Not entered. Enter 0 if there is no lien.OwnershipThis is real property

Asset 2

DescriptionValue$Not entered. A blank amount is not counted as zero.Enforceable liens or mortgage$Not entered. Enter 0 if there is no lien.OwnershipThis is real propertyWill it be sold during administration?Some court charges are assessed on sale proceeds and exclude real property that is kept, so this changes the amount.

Ownership determines whether an asset usually enters probate. Choose “Not sure” when title or beneficiary status has not been confirmed.

gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory$Apply the 6/4/2% schedule to the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory, excluding life insurance proceeds unless payable to the decedent's estate (Iowa Code 633.197(2)). Leaving it blank keeps the compensation undecided rather than assuming a number.

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Your working estimate

Iowa estate snapshot

Gross probate propertyNot yet counted

Court chargeMore information neededCourt costs in a decedent's estate (ch. 633 or ch. 635)2 asset entries have no value entered. A blank amount is not treated as zero, so the charge cannot be computed.Court charges only, for the proceeding named beside each figure. That proceeding is not always the route screened above.

Scheduled executor compensation$0Iowa Code 633.197 sets a real statutory maximum-commission schedule on the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory: 6% of the first $1,000, 4% of the overplus between $1,000 and $5,000, and 2% of all sums over $5,000, received as full compensation for all ordinary services. The court may allow only reasonable fees not in excess of these commissions. Gross assets for this section exclude life insurance proceeds unless payable to the decedent's estate. Extraordinary services may be separately allowed by the court.

This route check is general information, not legal advice. It does not test every eligibility condition, creditor issue, will provision, local fee, or asset-title fact.

How Iowa sets executor compensation

The court may allow only reasonable fees not in excess of these commissions. Gross assets for this section exclude life insurance proceeds unless payable to the decedent's estate. Extraordinary services may be separately allowed by the court.

The calculator applies the Iowa schedule to the value you enter, measured against the gross value of the probate estate. Extraordinary services such as litigation, tax work or managing real property are approved separately on top, and a fee the will fixes controls unless the court is asked to change it.

The figure the Iowa schedule is applied to

The rate is only half of the answer; the other half is the number the rate is applied to, and in Iowa that number is specific. The reviewed rule measures compensation against the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory. Apply the 6/4/2% schedule to the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory, excluding life insurance proceeds unless payable to the decedent's estate (Iowa Code 633.197(2)).

How the Iowa schedule composes, worked through

Each band's rate applies only to its own slice; worked at two amounts:

$300,000 gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory
Band of the base	Rate	Compensation
on the first $1,000	6%	$60
on the next $4,000	4%	$160
on the balance above $5,000	2%	$5,900
Total on this base		$6,120

$800,000 gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory
Band of the base	Rate	Compensation
on the first $1,000	6%	$60
on the next $4,000	4%	$160
on the balance above $5,000	2%	$15,900
Total on this base		$16,120

Illustrations at round numbers, not a quote for a real estate.

Compensation source

Statute

Iowa Code 633.197 (2026)

Reviewed source note: not in excess of the following commissions upon the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory, which shall be received as full compensation for all ordinary services: a. For the first one thousand dollars, six percent. b. For the overplus between one and five thousand dollars, four percent. c. For all sums over five thousand dollars, two percent.

What this means: Value basis is the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory, excluding life insurance proceeds unless payable to the decedent's estate (633.197(2)).

Iowa Legislature (Legislative Services Agency) · Edition/currentness: Iowa Code 2026, Section 633.197 · Verified October 3, 2026

Iowa record: 6/6 verified, 25 matched checks, latest source re-fetch October 3, 2026. Source record · method · report a correction

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