Estimates based on 2026 attorney market rates by state and estate complexity. All calculations stay in your browser.
Estimated Total Attorney Fees
⚠️ Estate planning attorney fees vary significantly by attorney experience, local market, and estate complexity. Many attorneys offer flat-fee estate planning packages — ask specifically about package pricing, which is often 20–40% less than à la carte document costs.
A simple will costs $300–$1,000 with an attorney. A complete basic estate plan (will + power of attorney + healthcare directive) runs $1,000–$3,000. A living trust adds significantly to that, typically $1,500–$5,000 on its own. Complex estates with business interests or tax planning can run $5,000–$15,000+. These costs are often far lower than the probate and estate taxes they help you avoid.
Do You Need an Attorney for Estate Planning?
For simple estates — a single person or married couple with straightforward assets and wishes — online services like LegalZoom, Trust & Will, or Nolo offer DIY estate planning documents for $100–$500. These are legally valid in most states when properly signed and witnessed. However, for anything involving minor children, blended families, business interests, significant assets, real estate in multiple states, or potential estate tax exposure (estates over ~$13.6 million in 2026), an experienced estate planning attorney is essential. Mistakes in estate documents can be extremely costly to your heirs.
The Cost of Having No Estate Plan
Without a will, your assets pass under your state's intestacy laws — which may not reflect your wishes at all. Dying without a trust means your estate goes through probate court, a public, time-consuming process that typically costs 3–8% of the estate's value in attorney and court fees. On a $500,000 estate, that's $15,000–$40,000 in avoidable costs. Healthcare directives prevent expensive end-of-life medical decisions being made without your input. The cost of proper estate planning is almost always a fraction of the cost of not having it.
Frequently Asked Questions
A simple will typically costs $300–$1,000 with an estate planning attorney. A more detailed will for a married couple with children, including a pour-over provision into a trust, can cost $800–$2,500. Many attorneys offer flat-fee packages including the will plus powers of attorney and healthcare directives for $1,500–$3,500 total. Online DIY will services (LegalZoom, Trust & Will) cost $100–$300 and are valid in most states when properly executed.
A will takes effect only after death and must go through probate court. A living trust takes effect immediately, holds your assets during your lifetime, avoids probate entirely, and is private (wills become public record in probate). A trust typically costs $1,500–$5,000 to establish. Whether you need a trust depends on your assets, state of residence, privacy preferences, and desire to avoid probate costs. California and some other states with expensive, time-consuming probate processes make trusts especially valuable.
A comprehensive estate plan typically includes: (1) Last Will and Testament — directs asset distribution and names guardians for minor children; (2) Revocable Living Trust — avoids probate for major assets; (3) Financial Power of Attorney — names someone to handle finances if incapacitated; (4) Healthcare Power of Attorney — names a medical decision-maker; (5) Living Will / Advance Healthcare Directive — documents end-of-life care wishes; (6) Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance (these trump your will). All six together form a complete plan.
Review your estate plan after any major life event: marriage, divorce, having or adopting children, death of a named beneficiary or executor, moving to a new state, significant change in assets, or a change in the tax laws. As a rule of thumb, review every 3–5 years even without major changes. Many estate planning attorneys offer free or low-cost review appointments for existing clients. Note: beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance must be updated separately from your will.
Dying without a will (dying "intestate") means your state's intestacy laws determine who inherits your assets — not you. Typically, assets go to a spouse first, then children, then other relatives. Unmarried partners receive nothing. The courts appoint an administrator (rather than your chosen executor), which slows the process and can generate conflict. Guardianship of minor children is decided by the court without your guidance. Your estate still goes through probate, often more expensively without clear instructions.