Wills and estatesOntario probate calculator
Enter the value of an estate to estimate the estate administration tax, often called probate fees, that is paid when an estate trustee applies to the court for a certificate of appointment in Ontario.
Named as an estate trustee? Start with the first 30 days checklist. Planning ahead? The way a will is drafted, including primary and secondary wills where there are private company shares, can change what passes through probate. Get in touch.
The total value of what the deceased owned at death that passes under the will (or on an intestacy), before debts. See what to include below.
Only debts registered against real estate can be deducted. Credit cards, unsecured lines of credit, funeral costs and legal fees cannot.
What to include in the value
Include
- Real estate in Ontario that was in the deceased's name alone, or as a tenant in common (less the charges entered above)
- Bank accounts, investments and GICs in the deceased's name alone
- RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs and life insurance that name the estate, or name no beneficiary
- Vehicles, boats, household contents and other personal property
- Shares of a private corporation and other business interests
Do not include
- Property held jointly with a right of survivorship, which passes directly to the surviving owner
- RRSPs, RRIFs, TFSAs, pensions and life insurance with a named beneficiary
- Real estate outside Ontario
- The CPP death benefit
- Assets that pass under a secondary will that is not being probated
This is an estimate using the Ontario Ministry of Finance rules (checked September 2026): no tax on the first $50,000, then $15 for every $1,000, or part of $1,000, above $50,000. The tax is paid as a deposit when the application for a certificate of appointment of estate trustee is filed with the Superior Court of Justice. An Estate Information Return must be filed within 180 days after the certificate is issued, even if no tax is payable. Read the official rules: Ontario estate administration tax.