Most people put off estate planning for two reasons. It feels uncomfortable, and nobody knows what it costs. The price range is wide, from under $200 for a simple will to several thousand dollars for a full plan with a trust. This guide breaks down what each document costs, compares doing it yourself, using an online service, and hiring an attorney, and points out the expenses people forget. The figures here are typical ranges, not quotes, and your state and situation will move them.
A simple will costs about $100 to $200 through an online service and about $300 to $600 with an attorney. A revocable living trust costs about $150 to $1,500 online and about $1,000 to $3,000 with an attorney for one person. A full package with a trust, will, power of attorney, and health care directive commonly runs about $2,000 to $5,000 with an attorney, and more for complex estates.
- A will is the cheapest step. A trust costs more to draft and to fund.
- Online services suit simple estates. Attorneys suit blended families, businesses, and property in several states.
- Having no plan can cost more, because probate fees and family disputes fall on your heirs.
What Estate Planning Costs, Document by Document
Estate planning is a set of documents, not one purchase. Here is what each one typically costs. These ranges come from commercial pricing guides, not government sources, so treat them as planning figures.
| Document | Online service or software | Estate planning attorney |
|---|---|---|
| Last will and testament | About $100–$200 | About $300–$600 |
| Revocable living trust (one person) | About $150–$1,500 | About $1,000–$3,000 |
| Revocable living trust (couple, joint trust) | About $150–$1,500 | About $1,500–$4,000 |
| Power of attorney | Often included in a package | About $100–$400 on its own |
| Health care directive or living will | Often included in a package | Often included in a package |
| Full package (will, trust, power of attorney, directive) | Varies by plan | About $2,000–$5,000, more for complex estates |
Some pricing guides put a standard attorney-drafted will as high as $1,000, and a will for a larger estate higher still. Costs run higher in expensive legal markets such as California and New York and lower in much of the Midwest. For what each document does, see our guides to wills, living trusts, power of attorney, and living wills.
DIY vs. Online Service vs. Attorney
You have three ways to get the documents. They differ in price, in how much guidance you get, and in how much of the risk you carry.
| DIY (free forms) | Online service | Attorney | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Free to low cost | Low to moderate | Moderate to high |
| Legal advice for your situation | None | Limited, mostly questionnaires | Yes |
| Best for | Very simple estates in states with a statutory form | Straightforward plans with a clear intent | Blended families, businesses, several states, special needs, larger estates |
| Main risk | Signing errors and gaps you do not know to look for | Wrong choices and unfunded trusts | Cost, and uneven quality between firms |
DIY with free state forms
A few states publish a free statutory will, a fill-in-the-blank form written into law. California offers one under Probate Code § 6240, and Michigan Legal Help offers a do-it-yourself version. The forms are limited by design. They suit simple situations, and they do not replace advice.
Online services
An online service walks you through questions and produces the documents. It is the lowest-cost route that still gives you a guided process. The trade-off is that nobody checks whether your choices fit your family. Read how to make a will online for what to look for, including how electronic signing rules differ by state.
Estate planning attorney
An attorney asks about your family and assets, drafts documents to fit, and knows your state's signing and trust rules. You pay more, and in return you get advice on questions you may not know to ask, such as how a second marriage, a family business, or a beneficiary with a disability changes the plan.
What Changes the Price
- Where you live. Attorney fees track local market rates, so the same plan can cost far more in a major city.
- Single or married. Couples usually pay more than one person, though a joint trust costs less than two separate ones.
- A trust or only a will. A trust takes more drafting and also needs funding. See will vs. living trust for when the extra cost makes sense.
- Property in more than one state. Real estate in another state can mean extra legal work there.
- A business or rental property. Ownership and succession questions add time.
- Family complexity. Blended families, estranged relatives, and beneficiaries with special needs call for careful drafting.
- Special trusts. A special needs trust or life insurance trust costs more than a basic plan. See revocable vs. irrevocable trusts.
What It Costs to Have No Plan
The cheapest estate plan is none, until the bill arrives for the people left behind. Without a will, state law decides who inherits and who raises minor children. Without a power of attorney or health directive, your family may need a court to appoint someone to act for you.
Probate itself has a price. In California, Probate Code § 10810 sets ordinary attorney compensation at 4% of the first $100,000 of the estate, 3% of the next $100,000, and 2% of the next $800,000. On a $700,000 estate, that is $19,000 for the attorney, and the executor's compensation follows the same schedule. Other states bill hourly or by flat fee. Our guide to probate lawyer costs by state shows the ranges, and the probate cost estimator can give you a rough figure for your own state.
A plan does not remove every cost. Many small estates never go through full probate, and a will is often enough. The point is that planning costs are known and chosen, while probate and dispute costs are not.
Free and Low-Cost Options
Cost should not stop someone from having the basics in place. Several routes cost little or nothing.
- Free state forms. Where your state offers a statutory will, it is free to use. Check your state court or legal aid website.
- Legal aid. The Legal Services Corporation funds civil legal aid for low-income Americans and has a tool for finding a program near you. Services differ by program, and not every office handles wills. LawHelp.org, run by Pro Bono Net with legal aid partners, also has a free directory of nonprofit legal services by state.
- Advance care planning with Medicare. Medicare says you pay nothing for advance care planning when your provider accepts assignment and it is part of your "Welcome to Medicare" or yearly wellness visit. Your provider can help you prepare a health care directive.
- Prioritize. If money is tight, start with a will, a power of attorney, and a health care directive, and add a trust later. Our checklist for new parents shows a sensible order.
Whatever route you choose, a document that is signed wrongly can fail. Follow your state's witness and notary rules exactly.
How to Get a Fair Quote From an Attorney
Attorneys generally charge a flat fee for a defined package of documents, or an hourly rate for open-ended work. A flat fee is easier to compare. Before you hire, ask:
- What documents does the fee include?
- Does it cover a signing meeting, and funding help for a trust?
- What does a later update cost?
- Who will do the work, the attorney or a paralegal?
- Is there a charge for the first consultation?
Get at least two quotes if you can. Your state or county bar association usually runs a lawyer referral service, and some offer reduced-fee first meetings. For a parent's plan, see estate planning for aging parents, where an elder law attorney is often the right choice.
Which Option Fits You?
| Your situation | Usually consider |
|---|---|
| Simple estate, no property disputes, tight budget | Free state form, or an online will with a power of attorney and directive |
| Own a home and want to avoid probate | An online trust service or an attorney, plus careful funding |
| Minor children | A will naming a guardian at minimum. See guardianship for minor children |
| Blended family, business, or property in several states | An estate planning attorney |
| Beneficiary with a disability, or a large estate | An attorney, and a tax advisor if needed |
| Parent who may need long-term care | An elder law attorney before moving any assets |
If your plan is straightforward, a guided online service such as Trust & Will can prepare a will or trust for a flat fee, usually below a full attorney engagement. An attorney remains the better choice for complex situations. See Trust & Will vs. LegalZoom vs. an attorney for a side-by-side of published prices. The Do I need probate? quiz can help you decide whether avoiding probate is worth paying for.
We may earn a commission if you use a service linked above, at no added cost to you — see our affiliate disclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions
We reviewed this page against official and primary-source materials where they exist. Government agencies do not publish estate planning prices, so the cost ranges come from commercial pricing guides and the figures used elsewhere on AfterKin. They are planning estimates, not quotes. Wills and trusts are governed by state law. Consult a licensed estate planning attorney for advice specific to your situation.
- California Probate Code § 10810: Ordinary compensation (California Legislature)
- California Probate Code § 6240: Statutory will form
- Michigan Legal Help: Do-it-yourself will
- Medicare.gov: Advance care planning
- Legal Services Corporation: Get legal help
- LawHelp.org (Pro Bono Net)
- LegalZoom: How much does estate planning cost? (commercial pricing guide, updated January 2026)
Page last reviewed: October 6, 2026