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How much does Trustee get paid in MA?

I noticed in another post you talked about executors of estates or wills being entitled to some payment, based on what is "reasonable." Does that apply to trustees of an estate? My brother-in-law is the trustee of my mother-in-law's trust and says he is going to charge $50 per hour for his services. Is that legal? Or is it reasonable? Thanks.

Editor's Response

Yes, trustees (one of the types of 'fiduciaries' mentioned in the post on compensation for an executor) are entitled to payment.  Of course, life would be a lot easier if the person who created the trust spelled out an hourly rate for the trustee.  When that does not happen, either some agreement must be reached or the probate court will decide what the rate will be.  That rate will vary based on such factors as the size and complexity of the trust and the skills required of the fiduciary.  For a lay-person, I do not think $50 per hour is unreasonable.  Obviously, if an attorney were doing the work, he or she would charge a heck of a lot more than that.  For more information or to post a question, visit our Massachusetts Elder Law Discussion Forum.

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