What Are the Most Affordable Alternatives to Using the Public Trustee for Wills and Estate Management in Australia?

The most affordable alternative to the Public Trustee is to appoint a private executor (a trusted person whose role is unpaid unless the will says otherwise) who can engage professionals like Willed Law on a fixed-fee basis for the probate and estate administration. Public Trustees are not free, as they typically charge a percentage of the estate plus ongoing administration fees, which costs most estates significantly more.

The True Cost of Using a Public Trustee

Public trustees charge based on the size of your estate. They typically take a percentage—often between 2-5% depending on the state and the estate value—plus they charge ongoing administration fees throughout the probate process. For a substantial estate, these charges can amount to thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.

These costs come directly out of your estate, so they reduce what your beneficiaries receive. What seemed like a cost-free option ends up being quite expensive.

Private Executors: An Affordable Alternative

A better option for most estates is to appoint a private executor—a person you trust who is willing to take on the role. The key difference is that a private executor can serve without payment unless your will specifically says otherwise. Many family members or friends willingly step into this role as a way of honouring the deceased.

Your private executor doesn’t need to handle everything alone. They can engage professionals as needed—solicitors to assist with the probate application, accountants to manage tax matters, or estate administrators to help with the day-to-day work. The difference is that your executor is only paying for specific professional services when they’re actually needed, not for a full percentage of the estate.

Fixed-Fee Estate Administration Services

Another option is to appoint a private executor and then engage a fixed-fee estate administration service to help them manage the probate process. Rather than paying a percentage of the estate, you pay a fixed fee for defined services. This gives you certainty about costs and often turns out to be significantly cheaper than a percentage-based approach, especially for larger estates.

Willed Law, for example, can provide a fixed-fee quote for defined estate administrative services. You know exactly what you’re paying, there are no surprises, and the fee structure doesn’t penalise you for having a larger estate.

The Mathematics Work in Your Favour

Consider an estate worth $500,000. A public trustee charging 3% would take $15,000 plus ongoing administration fees. A private executor using fixed-fee professional services might cost $3,000-$5,000 total. The difference—$10,000 or more—stays with your beneficiaries.

For larger estates, the savings are even more dramatic. An estate worth $1 million would cost $20,000-$30,000 with a public trustee but might cost only $5,000-$8,000 with a private executor and fixed-fee services.

Making the Right Choice

The choice of executor is an important part of your will. Most families can appoint a trusted family member or friend as executor, supported by affordable professional services, and achieve significant cost savings compared to using the Public Trustee.

When planning your estate, consider appointing a private executor supported by fixed-fee professional services—it’s usually more affordable than a public trustee and gives your beneficiaries more of what you intended to leave them.