Can the executor take a fee for the amount of life insurance benefits and annuities?

The answer will depend upon the laws of the state that has jurisdiction over the probate, and the manner in which the insurance/annuities were titled:

1. The probate law of the state will generally dictate how the executor may be paid in the absence of a provision in the Will addressing that. The court will rely upon what it determines as "reasonable", taking into account the size of the estate, the complexity of the issues involved, and other factors.

2. If the insurance/annuities were payable to the estate as beneficiary, and therefore became part of the estate, a stronger argument would exist to allow the executor a fee for their collection. In contrast, if they were payable directly to a named beneficiary, the executor would not have much involvement in their collection and it would be hard to justify a fee.