Maryland Trustee compensation: Est. & Trusts § 14.5-708, explained

How Maryland approaches the number

• Trust terms first. If the instrument specifies compensation, the Trustee is entitled to what it says — though a court may allow more or less if the duties turn out substantially different from those contemplated, or the specified amount is unreasonably low or high.
• If the Trust is silent: compensation reasonable under the circumstances. There is no statutory percentage for Maryland Trustees — courts weigh things like the size of the Trust, the work actually performed, the skill required, and customary charges.
• Professional help is separate: expenses properly incurred are reimbursed from the Trust (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-709), and a report on request states the source and amount of your compensation (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-813(c)). Among the remedies for a breach of trust, the court may reduce or deny compensation (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-901); family Trustees commonly charge modestly or waive — choices, not requirements.
• Don't confuse it with the attorney's fee. The Trustee's own compensation is governed by Est. & Trusts § 14.5-708; the attorney the Trustee hires is paid the fee they agree — Maryland sets no presumptive attorney fee for trust administration.

The governing provisions

• Discretionary powers

  Est. & Trusts § 14.5-203 ↗

  Clear, simple explanation; the verbatim statute text is not yet attested in our library. See the official statute via the link above.

• Compensation of trustee

  Est. & Trusts § 14.5-708 ↗

  Clear, simple explanation; the verbatim statute text is not yet attested in our library. See the official statute via the link above.

• Duty of loyalty

  Est. & Trusts § 14.5-802 ↗

  Clear, simple explanation; the verbatim statute text is not yet attested in our library. See the official statute via the link above.

Why paying yourself needs care

• Paying yourself is a self-interested act by a fiduciary — the duty of loyalty (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-802) is in the room. Document the basis, the rate, the time, and the work before the money moves.
• If you are also a beneficiary, the line between compensation and distribution matters: Est. & Trusts § 14.5-203 limits self-dealing discretion, and compensation that looks like a disguised distribution invites challenge.
• Beneficiaries will see it: compensation appears in the Trust accounting (Est. & Trusts § 14.5-813(c)). A number that surprises them there is how disputes start.
• TrusteeClear treats paying yourself as a gated action — the record is assembled before the payment, and a firm-supervised matter routes it to the attorney first.

General information about Maryland law, not legal advice.