28A-23-3. Commissions allowed personal representatives; representatives guilty of misconduct or default.

(a) Personal representatives, collectors or public administrators shall be entitled to commissions to be fixed in the discretion of the clerk of superior court not to exceed five percent (5%) upon the amounts of receipts, including the value of all personal property when received, and upon the expenditures made in accordance with law. In determining the maximum commissions allowable under this subsection, the clerk of superior court may take into consideration fees paid by the estate for professional services performed in the ordinary course of administering the estate, including services performed by attorneys and accountants. However, the clerk is not required to reduce the maximum commissions allowed by the aggregate fees paid to professionals on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

The commissions shall be charged as a part of the costs of administration and, upon allowance, may be retained out of the assets of the estate against creditors and all other persons claiming an interest in the estate. If the gross value of an estate is two thousand dollars ($2,000) or less, the clerk of superior court may fix the commission to be received by the personal representative, collector or public administrator in an amount the clerk of superior court, in the clerk's discretion, deems just and adequate.

(b) In determining the amount of the commissions, both upon personal property received and upon expenditures made, the clerk of superior court shall consider the time, responsibility, trouble and skill involved in the management of the estate. Where real property is sold to pay debts or devises, the commission shall be computed only on the proceeds actually applied in the payment of debts or devises.

(c) The clerk of superior court may allow commissions from time to time during the course of the administration, but the total commissions allowed shall be determined on final settlement of the estate and shall not exceed the limit fixed in this section.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

(1) Prevent the clerk of superior court from allowing reasonable sums for necessary charges and disbursements incurred in the management of the estate.

(2) Allow commissions on distribution of the shares of heirs or on distribution of shares of devisees.

(3) Abridge the right of any party interested in the administration of a decedent's estate to appeal an order of the clerk of superior court to a judge of superior court.

(e) No personal representative, collector or public administrator, who has been guilty of default or misconduct in the due execution of the personal representative's, collector's, or public administrator's office resulting in the revocation of the appointment of the personal representative, collector, or public administrator under the provisions of G.S. 28A-9-1, shall be entitled to any commission under the provisions of this section.

(f) For the purpose of computing commissions whenever any portion of the dividends, interest, rents or other amounts payable to a personal representative, collector or public administrator is required by any law of the United States or other governmental unit to be withheld for income tax purposes by the person, corporation, organization or governmental unit paying the same, the amount withheld shall be deemed to have been received and expended.

(g) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply if the testator's will specifies a stipulated amount or method or standard for determining the compensation for the services rendered by the personal representative, including a provision in the will that the compensation of the personal representative is to be determined by applying the personal representative's regularly adopted schedule of compensation in effect at the time of performance of those services. Subsection (a) of this section also shall not apply if the testator's will provides that the personal representative is to receive "reasonable compensation" for those services or similar language to that effect if the personal representative and the beneficiaries whose shares would be charged with the payment of the personal representative's compensation consent in writing to the specific amount that constitutes reasonable compensation.

(h) Subsection (a) of this section shall apply if the testator's will provides that compensation of the personal representative shall be the amount "as provided by law," the "maximum amount provided by law," or other similar language.