The Estate Administration Tax, done exactly the way the Act does it. Enter the estate value and we’ll give you the real number, and what it doesn’t include.
Wills & Estates · Ontario
Probate Calculator
The Ontario Estate Administration Tax, what most people call "probate fees." The first $50,000 is free. Above that, it’s $15 per $1,000 (or part thereof) of estate value. This tool runs the math exactly the way the Estate Administration Tax Act does.
Fair market value of all property the estate trustee must administer, as of the date of death.
Mortgages or other debts secured against real property in Ontario can be deducted for EAT purposes. Debts secured against out-of-Ontario property cannot.
This tool only estimates the Estate Administration Tax. It does not include legal fees, executor compensation (typically ~5% of the estate), accounting fees, asset sale costs, or estate income tax. It also assumes the entire estate passes through probate, in practice, assets held jointly with right of survivorship, assets with a named beneficiary (RRSPs, TFSAs, life insurance), and assets held in a properly-structured trust often pass outside probate and are not counted.
The $50,000 exemption applies where the application for an estate certificate is made on or after 1 January 2020. The trigger is the date of the application, not the date of death. Nothing here is legal advice and no solicitor-client relationship is formed by using this tool.
Next Step
Speak to a lawyer about administering the estate
An estimate tells you the shape of the answer. Whether it applies to your situation depends on documents and facts a calculator cannot see. Most matters qualify for a no-obligation initial assessment.
Enter your estimated estate value (real estate, investments, bank accounts, etc.) and this tool estimates Ontario probate fees (Estate Administration Tax). Ontario charges 1.5% probate fees on estates exceeding $50,000. The calculator estimates Estate Administration Tax only; it does not include legal fees or timing. Use this as a rough guide, actual costs depend on estate complexity. Assets passing outside probate (life insurance, RRSPs with beneficiaries, joint property) are not included.
Probate includes: real estate (home, investment property), bank accounts, investment accounts (stocks, bonds, mutual funds), business interests, vehicles, and jewelry. Assets NOT in probate (and not taxed): life insurance proceeds (if named beneficiary), RRSPs/RRIFs (if named beneficiary), TFSAs (if named beneficiary), and jointly-owned property (passes directly to co-owner). Significant assets often avoid probate through beneficiary designations.
Relevant legislation: Succession Law Reform Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. S.26
Why is my probate estimate different from the actual probate fees?
Our calculator provides a rough estimate. Actual probate fees depend on: the estate value (only mortgages and other encumbrances on Ontario real estate are deducted), timing, and whether assets avoid probate. Estate value is calculated as the value of the estate less encumbrances registered against Ontario real property that is itself in the estate. General debts are not deductible: not loans, not credit card balances, not lines of credit, not funeral expenses and not legal fees. Some assets decrease in value between death and probate grant, reducing fees. Legal fees vary by lawyer and complexity. Use our estimate to understand the magnitude; consult a lawyer for exact numbers.
How can I reduce probate fees using this calculator?
Naming beneficiaries on RRSPs, life insurance, and TFSAs keeps those assets out of probate, reducing total probate fees. For a $500,000 estate with $250,000 in RRSP and insurance (beneficiary-designated), probate is calculated on only $250,000 ($3,750), not the full $500,000 ($7,500). To see the difference, run the calculator with and without the assets that pass outside probate.
Does this calculator apply to all Canadian provinces?
No, this calculator is specific to Ontario. Probate fees vary dramatically by province: Ontario charges 1.5% above $50,000, British Columbia uses a sliding scale, Alberta charges a fee capped at $525, and Quebec uses a different system entirely. If you own property in multiple provinces, consult lawyers in each jurisdiction. Use this calculator for your Ontario estate; for multi-province estates, seek professional guidance.
Yes, use our calculator to understand probate impact and explore strategies (beneficiary designations, joint ownership, insurance). However, don't rely solely on estimates, consult an estate lawyer for precise planning. Our calculator doesn't address: income tax on death, CPP survivor benefits, estate disputes, complex assets, or blended family issues. It's a starting point for understanding costs and exploring probate reduction strategies.
Relevant legislation: Estate planning best practices
“I had the absolute pleasure of working separately with two lawyers from Lexaltico — Pooja Lassi and Matthew Ram — on different matters. The level of professionalism, expertise, and care demonstrated by each of them was consistently exceptional. They do not simply service your needs — they take the time to thoroughly understand your situation and proactively problem-solve.”
SJR
★★★★★
“I had the absolute pleasure of working separately with two lawyers from Lexaltico — Pooja Lassi and Matthew Ram — on different matters. The level of professionalism, expertise, and care demonstrated by each of them was consistently exceptional. They do not simply service your needs — they take the time to thoroughly understand your situation and proactively problem-solve.”
SJR
Administering an estate
Related pages
The tax is the smallest part of probate. These are the parts that take the time.
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Estimator & Calculator Tools
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Referral Fees: LexKonnect
Where we refer a matter to another firm, including through LexKonnect, we comply with Rule 3.6-6.1 of the Law Society of Ontario’s Rules of Professional Conduct. Any referral fee is set out in the Law Society’s standard referral agreement, signed by you before the referral proceeds, and no fee is payable to us unless and until the receiving firm has been paid for its work. You are never obliged to accept a referral and are free to retain any firm you choose. No referral arrangement affects the independent professional judgment of any lawyer at this firm.
Limitation Periods
Failure to commence proceedings within applicable limitation periods may permanently bar your claim. In Ontario, the general limitation period is two (2) years from discovery under the Limitations Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B. Seek legal advice promptly.
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Lexaltico LLP
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How Lexaltico LLP handles personal information, under PIPEDA and Ontario law.
What we collect
What you give us
When you use a form on this site, email us or telephone us, we collect what you choose to send:
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Short, and written to be read rather than scrolled past.
The four things that matter most
Nothing on this site is legal advice, however specific it looks.
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Do not send confidential information before a retainer is signed.
Past results depend on their own facts and do not predict yours.
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The difference is practical rather than technical. A page explaining that spousal support is
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Why you should not send us documents yet
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What they do and do not tell you
Case results described anywhere on this site are real and are described accurately, and they are
specific to their own facts. A settlement at three times the original offer happened because of
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matter is worth.
Client reviews are the views of the people who wrote them. We do not offer anything in return for
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Calculators on this site produce estimates from the figures you enter. They apply published
formulas and they cannot know about the facts that most often change the answer.
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To the fullest extent the law permits, Lexaltico LLP is not liable for any loss arising from your
use of, or reliance on, anything published on this website.
Governing law
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Ontario, and marketing on this site is intended to comply with the
Rules of Professional Conduct.
Every limit on what this website tells you, and every thing it does not do, in one
place rather than in small print at the bottom of each page.
Before you rely on anything here
Four limits, and they matter in this order.
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Everything published on this website is general information. It is not legal
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create a solicitor client relationship. Do not act, or decide not to act, on anything here without
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These pages describe the law of Ontario, and of Alberta only
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Each page states the law as at the review date shown on it. Legislation is amended and case law
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If you contact us
If you are in danger
If you or a child are in immediate danger, call 911.
This website is not an emergency service. Enquiries sent through a form here are read during
business hours and a reply may take up to 2 business days.
Using this website, submitting a form, sending an email or speaking to us on the telephone does
not make us your lawyers. That relationship arises only when the firm has
confirmed in writing that it has agreed to act, a conflict search has been completed, and a
retainer has been signed.
Confidentiality of enquiries
Do not send confidential or sensitive information through this website or by email until we have
confirmed in writing that we can act for you. Information sent before that point is
not treated as confidential and may prevent us from acting for you, or for
someone else, in a connected matter.
Response times
We aim to reply within 2 business days. Contacting us does not guarantee a reply within any
particular period, does not oblige the firm to act, and does not stop, extend or satisfy
any limitation period, filing date or court deadline.
Our telephone line
Our line is answered 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Outside office hours calls are taken
by our intake service, who record your details and pass them to the firm. A lawyer responds during
the next business day, or sooner if the matter is urgent. Answering the telephone is not the same
as giving legal advice, and no relationship arises from that call.
Who we are and how we are regulated
Law Society of Ontario
Lexaltico LLP is regulated by the Law Society of Ontario under the
Law Society Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. L.8. All lawyers practising in
Ontario through the firm are members in good standing.
Law Society of Alberta
Alberta matters are handled by lawyers licensed with, and in good standing with, the
Law Society of Alberta. A lawyer licensed in Ontario is not thereby licensed in
Alberta, and the reverse is also true.
Immigration regulation
Immigration consulting is provided by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants
in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants under the
College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants Act, S.C. 2019, c. 29,
s. 292.
Lawyers, paralegals and consultants
Not everyone at the firm is a lawyer.
Licensed paralegals in Ontario may act only within the scope the Law Society
permits, which does not include most family, estate or criminal matters.
Immigration consultants are regulated by the College, not by a law society,
and are not lawyers.
Law clerks and managers support files but do not give legal advice.
Each page and biography states which applies. Ask at the outset who will handle your matter and
under which licence.
Languages
We serve clients in thirteen languages. Every page of this website is written and published in
English. Where anything is provided in another language, the English
version governs in the event of a difference. If you need an interpreter, tell us when
you book and we will arrange one.
Fees
The initial assessment
The no-obligation initial assessment is a brief introductory
conversation. It does not include a review of your documents and does not constitute
legal advice.
The firm charges a fee for substantive consultations, including in civil litigation,
criminal defence and immigration matters. The firm may waive that fee at its discretion.
Any fee is disclosed in advance and credited in full toward your account if you retain the
firm.
Referral fees
Where we refer a matter to another firm, including through LexKonnect, we comply with Rule 3.6-6.1 of the Law Society of Ontario’s Rules of Professional Conduct. Any referral fee is set out in the Law Society’s standard referral agreement, signed by you before the referral proceeds, and no fee is payable to us unless and until the receiving firm has been paid for its work. You are never obliged to accept a referral and are free to retain any firm you choose. No referral arrangement affects the independent professional judgment of any lawyer at this firm.
What is published on this site
Calculators and estimators
They produce estimates from what you type and cannot know the rest. They do not
account for the terms of your contract, statutory exceptions, or the discretion a court will
apply. Do not make a decision on a number produced by a calculator.
Past results
Any outcome described happened on its own facts, before its own decision maker,
under the law as it stood at the time. Past results do not predict or guarantee the result of any
other case.
Reviews and testimonials
Reviews shown here are written by third parties and published on platforms we do not control. Each
describes one person’s experience of one matter. They are not a promise, a
prediction or a guarantee about any other matter.
Links to other websites
This site links to regulators, courts, government sources, professional associations and social
platforms, all operated by others. We do not control them, we are not responsible for
their content or accuracy, and a link is not an endorsement.
Other notices
Limitation periods
Failure to start a proceeding within the applicable limitation period may permanently bar
your claim. In Ontario the general period is two years from discovery
under the Limitations Act, 2002, S.O. 2002, c. 24, Sched. B.
Shorter periods apply to many claims. Seek advice promptly. Nothing on this website extends a
limitation period.
Accessibility
We aim to meet the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
and WCAG 2.1 Level AA. If any part of this site prevents you from reaching us, telephone
+1 416 333 6200 or write to
hello@lexaltico.com and we will provide the information
in another format, at no charge.
