For executors
Named executor in New Jersey: the first 30 days
Overview
Nobody tells you what to do first. Here's the order, with the Surrogate's fees, the deadlines that matter and the forms the State actually uses.
Order death certificates
The State charges $25 for the first certified copy and $2 for each extra ordered together. Order several; banks, insurers and the Surrogate each want one. (NJ Vital Statistics)
Find the original will
Probate generally needs the original, not a copy. Don't pay debts or give away belongings yet.
Go to the Surrogate after 10 days
A will can't be probated until 10 days after death. (N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22) Go to the Surrogate in the county where the person lived, with the original will, a certified death certificate and your photo ID.
Surrogate fee Amount Probate of a will (up to 2 pages) $100, plus $5 per extra page Administration when there's no will $125 Each short certificate $5 From N.J.S.A. 22A:2-30. Short certificates are your proof to banks that you're the executor.
Set up the estate's money
Get an EIN for the estate (free from the IRS) and open an estate bank account. Pay everything from it. The estate files Form 1041 if it has more than $600 of income in a year. (IRS)
Check the inheritance tax
New Jersey's estate tax ended in 2018, but the inheritance tax still applies when siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews or friends inherit. Spouses, children, grandchildren and parents are exempt. The return is due within 8 months of death. Waiver forms (L-8 for accounts, L-9 for real estate) release assets to exempt heirs. (NJ Treasury, executor guide)
Wait out the creditors
Creditors have 9 months from death to present claims. (N.J.S.A. 3B:22-4) Keep a log of every claim and bill before you distribute.
Where we help
Certified copies of deeds and court records from any county, papers filed or picked up at the Surrogate or the courthouse, a notary for affidavits and the deed if the house is sold, and bookkeeping to keep the estate's accounts straight. Records · Filing · Estate notary · Bookkeeping
Printable kit
Executor Bundle
The Executor Kit (first 30 days, inventory, creditor log, tax waivers, notice letter) plus the Estate Accounting Ledger that balances to the bank.
General information, checked November 2026. Not legal advice. MCC Solutions is not a law firm.
Questions
How long after a death can a will be probated in NJ?
Not until 10 days after the death. You can prepare and file papers earlier in some counties, but the Surrogate issues letters after that.
How much does probate cost in New Jersey?
The Surrogate's fee is $100 for a will up to two pages, plus $5 per extra page, and $5 for each short certificate. Attorney fees, if you use one, are separate.
Is there still an estate tax in New Jersey?
No, for deaths since January 1, 2018. The inheritance tax still applies to some heirs, such as siblings and nieces or nephews.
When can I pay out the inheritances?
Usually after the 9-month creditor window and any inheritance tax is settled. Ask the estate's attorney before distributing early.