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Estate accountants help an executor with the tax side of a death: the final return, the estate’s own return and the probate fee. On an $800,000 estate that fee runs from $525 in Alberta to $11,250 in Ontario, and Manitoba charges none, so the province you’re in changes the job.
What do estate accountants do that a lawyer doesn’t?
A lawyer usually handles the will and the court application. An accountant handles the numbers that go to the CRA. The CRA says the legal representative files the final T1 return and signs it, and the estate may need a T3 trust return as well.
You can split the work or use one firm for both. We couldn’t find an official rule on which to hire first, so ask the lawyer who is probating the will whether they already work with an accountant. It saves an introduction.
Does probate cost the same everywhere?
No, and it’s the first number most executors want. The figures below come from our probate fee tool, which reads the provincial schedules. BC includes its $200 filing fee and Saskatchewan its $200 filing fee.
| Province | Estate of $250,000 | Estate of $800,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $3,000 | $11,250 |
| British Columbia | $3,150 | $10,850 |
| Saskatchewan | $1,950 | $5,800 |
| Alberta | $400 | $525 |
| Manitoba | $0 | $0 |
Try your own value in the probate fee and estate administration tax calculator. We left out the other provinces here because some of their schedules are only partly confirmed.
Which estate assets are counted?
Ontario’s page says the tax applies to assets that pass through the estate, and it excludes jointly owned assets and accounts with a named beneficiary. That’s why two families with the same net worth can owe very different amounts. If your province has a fee based on estate value, ask the accountant to list which assets actually go through probate before anyone guesses.
What’s a fair way to compare estate accountants?
We can’t rank firms, and we haven’t verified any fee level. Here’s how we’d compare:
- Ask how many final returns and T3 returns they file each year.
- Ask for a written fee basis: fixed, hourly or a percentage of the estate.
- Ask who does the work and who reviews it.
- Ask what happens if the CRA reviews the estate’s return later.
- Confirm their CPA standing with the provincial body.
Be wary of anyone who wants your own CRA login. The CRA lets an accountant act for a client through Represent a Client, and you approve the request in your account within 10 business days.
Does it matter if they’re nearby?
Less than people think. Filing is online, and most of the talking can happen by phone or video. Nearby helps if you need someone to sit with you over boxes of paper. If you’d rather stay local, a short search of your provincial CPA directory beats a general web search.
Where the tax bill can surprise the estate
The final return picks up increases in the value of property and investments up to the date of death, so a home that isn’t the main residence, or a cottage, can produce a large gain in one year. The capital gains tax calculator estimates it, using half the gain as taxable. We couldn’t find the 2026 inclusion rate on a CRA page, so check before you rely on it. The marginal tax rate calculator shows how extra income is taxed on top of what’s already on the return.
Timing matters too. A death from 1 January to 31 October means the final return is due 30 April of the next year. From 1 November to 31 December, it’s due six months after the death. A T3 return is due 90 days after the estate’s tax year end.
How do the due dates work in a real case?
Suppose a parent died on March 12. The final return and any balance are then due April 30 of the following year, which leaves the executor a long runway but not a limitless one. Now suppose the death was on November 20. The due date becomes six months later, on May 20.
The CRA adds that if the person or their spouse or common-law partner was self-employed when they died, the filing date can move to June 15 of the next year, while the payment date stays put. See the CRA’s own page on filing and payment due dates for someone who died before you count days on a calendar.
What should an executor have ready for the accountant?
Gather the deceased person’s recent tax slips, the last notice of assessment if you can find it, a list of accounts and property, and a copy of the will. Missing information is what slows things down, not the arithmetic.
It’s a heavy time for a family, and nobody expects the paperwork to be tidy. Start with what you have and let the accountant tell you what’s still missing.
The sources behind this page
Return types and due dates come from the Canada Revenue Agency. Probate schedules come from the Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba government and court pages, read in September 2026. The BC schedule has no stated effective date on its page, so check it before you rely on it.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an estate accountant and a lawyer?
Often both. A lawyer usually handles the will and court application, and an accountant handles the returns sent to the CRA.
Who signs the final return?
The legal representative signs it. The CRA says that's the executor named in the will, a court-appointed administrator or, in Quebec, the liquidator.
Is probate the same in every province?
No. On an $800,000 estate our tool gives $11,250 in Ontario, $10,850 in BC, $5,800 in Saskatchewan, $525 in Alberta and nothing in Manitoba.
Are jointly owned assets subject to Ontario's tax?
Ontario's page excludes jointly owned assets and accounts with a named beneficiary from the estate value.
Can I give my accountant my CRA login?
No. The CRA lets representatives act through Represent a Client, and you approve the request in My Account.
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