Nova Scotia vs Ontario Probate Fees: A $700,000 Estate in 2026
Compare the Same Estate Value
Assume $700,000 is the value that must be included in the probate application in each province. That assumption matters: the market value of everything a person owned is not necessarily the value used for probate. Ownership, beneficiary arrangements, asset location and the applicable provincial rules affect what belongs in the application. Have the estate representative confirm that starting value before comparing fees.
This example compares the statutory probate charge. It does not estimate the deceased's income tax, legal bill, executor compensation, debts or beneficiaries' final distributions. Those amounts need their own facts. A difference in a provincial fee is not, by itself, a reason to move an asset, change a beneficiary or create a trust.
Nova Scotia: $11,172.65
For estates above $100,000, section 87 of Nova Scotia's Probate Act sets a base tax of $1,002.65 plus $16.95 for every $1,000, or fraction of $1,000, above $100,000. The lower estate-value bands are not separate amounts to add cumulatively to that base.
- Value above $100,000: $600,000.
- Additional tax: 600 × $16.95 = $10,170.
- Total: $1,002.65 + $10,170 = $11,172.65.
That is approximately 1.60% of this estate value. Confirm the applicable schedule and the application's estate value with the probate court before paying; other services or administration expenses are separate from this calculation.
Ontario: $9,750
Ontario's current Estate Administration Tax guidance exempts the first $50,000 for estate certificates applied for on or after January 1, 2020. The value above that amount is charged at $15 per $1,000 or part thereof. The former $250 charge on the first $50,000 no longer applies.
- First $50,000: $0.
- Remaining value: $700,000 − $50,000 = $650,000.
- Total: 650 × $15 = $9,750.
The exemption belongs to the estate calculation, not separately to each bank account, property or beneficiary. Round the value as Ontario directs before calculating a case involving a partial thousand. The round $700,000 example has no rounding difference.
The Verified Difference Is $1,422.65
| Same probatable estate | Nova Scotia | Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| $700,000 | $11,172.65 | $9,750 |
Subtracting $9,750 from $11,172.65 gives $1,422.65. An earlier version of this guide used an incorrect Nova Scotia calculation, added an obsolete Ontario first-tier charge and claimed a $12,000 difference. Those claims are corrected here. No verified evidence supported the larger total-cost comparison, so it has been removed rather than relabelled as a general estimate.
Keep the Other Estate Work Separate
Prepare an asset-and-debt inventory, confirm which assets require the court certificate, and obtain advice about final income-tax returns before promising a distribution to beneficiaries. Legal fees and executor compensation depend on the actual work and applicable rules. The probate-tax difference cannot establish those costs, and it does not tell a family which province produces the better overall estate outcome.
For Ontario, the general Estate Information Return deadline is 180 calendar days after the estate certificate is issued. That is a separate compliance requirement from income-tax returns. Keep the certificate date with the estate records and confirm whether any exception or revised-return obligation applies.
Read the Ontario probate guide for the fee structure and the estate planning checklist for organizing the information an adviser needs. Check the current government sources linked above before relying on any amount in a filing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:What is Nova Scotia probate tax on a $700,000 estate?
Q:What is Ontario estate administration tax on $700,000?
Q:Is the difference $12,000?
Q:Does the probate tax cover income tax and legal fees?
Q:When is the Ontario Estate Information Return due?
Question: What is Nova Scotia probate tax on a $700,000 estate?
Answer: Under section 87 of the Probate Act, an estate above $100,000 pays $1,002.65 plus $16.95 for each $1,000 or fraction above $100,000. For $700,000, that is $1,002.65 + (600 × $16.95) = $11,172.65.
Question: What is Ontario estate administration tax on $700,000?
Answer: For an estate certificate applied for on or after January 1, 2020, the first $50,000 is exempt. The remaining $650,000 costs $15 per $1,000: 650 × $15 = $9,750. The tax applies to the estate value requiring the certificate, not automatically every asset associated with the deceased.
Question: Is the difference $12,000?
Answer: No. For this equal $700,000 probatable-estate example, the statutory tax difference is $1,422.65. This guide previously claimed a $12,000 difference without a supported total-cost calculation. That claim has been withdrawn.
Question: Does the probate tax cover income tax and legal fees?
Answer: No. Probate tax, the deceased’s final income-tax return, estate income tax, legal work and other administration costs are separate. Their amounts depend on the assets, income, debts and work required. A probate calculation alone cannot establish what the beneficiaries receive.
Question: When is the Ontario Estate Information Return due?
Answer: The general deadline is 180 calendar days after the estate certificate is issued. This is separate from income-tax filing deadlines and should not be confused with an estate trust’s T3 return.
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