Senate File 376 - Introduced SENATE FILE 376 BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1077) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the calculation of certain court costs in 1 probate, and including applicability provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1083SV (2) 86 jh/rj

S.F. 376 Section 1. Section 633.31, Code 2015, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 633.31 Calendar —— fees court costs in probate. 3 1. The clerk shall keep a court calendar, and enter thereon 4 such matters as the court may prescribe. 5 2. The clerk shall charge and collect the following fees 6 court costs in connection with probate matters, which shall be 7 deposited in the account established under section 602.8108 : 8 a. For services performed in short 9 form probates pursuant to sections 10 450.22 and 450.44 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 15.00 11 b. For services performed in probate of 12 will without administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 15.00 13 c. For filing and indexing a transcript . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 50.00 14 d. For taking and approving a bond, or 15 the sureties on a bond . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 20.00 16 e. For entering a rule or order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 10.00 17 f. For certificate and seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 10.00 18 g. For making a complete record where 19 real estate is sold . . . . . per 100 words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ .20 20 h. For making a transcript or copies of 21 orders or records filed in 22 the clerk’s office . . . . . . per 100 words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ .50 23 i. For certifying change of title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 20.00 24 j. For issuing commission to 25 appraisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2.00 26 k. For other services performed in the settlement of the 27 estate of any decedent, minor, person with mental illness, or 28 other persons laboring under legal disability, except where 29 actions are brought by the administrator, guardian, trustee, 30 or person acting in a representative capacity or against that 31 person, or as may be otherwise provided herein, where the value 32 of the personal property and real estate of such a person falls 33 within the following indicated amounts, the fee court costs 34 opposite such amount shall be charged , in accordance with 35 -1- LSB 1083SV (2) 86 jh/rj 1/ 3

S.F. 376 subsection 3 or 4, as applicable . 1 (1) Up to $3,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 5.00 2 (2) $ 3,000.00 to $ 5,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 10.00 3 (3) $ 5,000.00 to $ 7,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 15.00 4 (4) $ 7,000.00 to $ 10,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 20.00 5 (5) $ 10,000.00 to $ 15,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 25.00 6 (6) $ 15,000.00 to $ 25,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 30.00 7 (7) For each additional $25,000.00 or 8 major fraction thereof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 50.00 9 l. For services performed in small 10 estate administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 15.00 11 3. The fee court costs set forth in subsection 2 , paragraph 12 “k” , shall not be charged on any property transferred to a 13 testamentary trust from an estate that has been administered 14 in this state and for which court costs have been assessed and 15 paid. 16 4. For purposes of determining the court costs set forth in 17 subsection 2, paragraph “k” , the “value of the personal property 18 and real estate of such a person” means the gross assets of the 19 estate listed in the probate inventory minus the following, 20 unless the proceeds of such assets are payable to the estate: 21 a. Joint tenancy property. 22 b. Transfers during such person’s lifetime. 23 c. Assets payable to beneficiaries, including but not 24 limited to life insurance, annuities, individual retirement 25 accounts, retirement plans, transfer on death accounts, and 26 payable on death accounts. 27 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. The section of this Act amending 28 section 633.31 applies to estates opened on or after July 1, 29 2015. 30 EXPLANATION 31 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 32 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 33 This bill relates to the court costs the clerk of probate 34 court charges and collects in connection with probate matters. 35 -2- LSB 1083SV (2) 86 jh/rj 2/ 3

S.F. 376 The bill specifies that for purposes of calculating the 1 court costs for other services performed in the settlement of 2 the estate of any decedent, minor, person with mental illness, 3 or other persons laboring under legal disability, the value of 4 such a person’s personal property and real estate is equal to 5 the gross assets of the estate listed in the probate inventory 6 minus, unless the proceeds of the gross assets are payable to 7 the estate, joint tenancy property, transfers made during such 8 person’s lifetime, and assets payable to beneficiaries, some 9 of which are enumerated. 10 Under current law, joint tenancy property, transfers 11 made during such person’s lifetime, and assets payable to 12 beneficiaries are not excluded from the value of the personal 13 property and real estate used to calculate the court costs due 14 to the clerk pursuant to Code section 633.31(2)(k). 15 The bill applies to estates opened on or after July 1, 2015. 16 -3- LSB 1083SV (2) 86 jh/rj 3/ 3