Queensland Public Trustee fees and charges for deceased estates
At Queensland Public Trustee, our fees to administer a deceased estate are based on the ‘fee for service’ principle. We do not charge a commission for our services and only charge for the work we do. Under the Public Trustee Act 1978 our fees and charges must be reasonable.
An estimate of the potential cost of full administration of an estate can be produced by using our deceased estate fee estimator. The estimate provided by this tool is for full administration and will be based on the currently known information. We will give you our best estimate for the fees by identifying each task that our team will need to perform based on your circumstances.
Estimates are based on the expected 'units of effort' as set out in the fees and charges notice and reflect the level of work required to complete the tasks you need us to perform.
Fees are determined by many factors, such as the type of legal authority needed to administer the estate, and the number and type of:
- assets in the estate
- liabilities
- beneficiaries and if they live overseas.
Our fees are based on the effort we expect is required to complete necessary tasks. The fees will not increase if the administration of an estate takes longer than expected unless there are additional tasks required, e.g. an additional asset requiring administration.
Our fees are for administering the estate in the role of executor or administrator. There are other costs which may arise in association with administering an estate known as outlays. Common examples of outlays include fees for tax agents and valuers, and if there are legal issues, legal fees.
Our fees estimator tool
If you are looking for us to administer the full estate (and not individual or specific tasks only), you can use our fee estimator tool to get a guide on the costs involved with this.
For more information on our fees and charges, talk to us on 1300 360 044 or see our contact information for more ways to get in touch. You can also have a look at our Fees and charges ready reckoner factsheet as a quick reference tool.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)—our fees and charges in deceased estates
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Normally we can provide you with a quote for our fees within three months after the administration of the estate commences. We must verify assets before we can work out the fee to administer the estate. There may be other delays in settling on the quote and you can contact us to speak about the fees if you have any questions.
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Yes. A beneficiary can ask for a review of the fees in the administration of the estate. Prior to finalising an estate, we review the fees charged to ensure they are reflective of the work carried out.
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Yes, sometimes the actual fees charged may be different if there are changes in the work undertaken in the administration. For example, a further asset in the estate may be located after the quote is sent. The additional work involved in dealing with this asset may result in additional fees above the quoted amount.
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It depends. Contact us to discuss your needs and we'll let you know if we can assist and what our fee would be.