Estate Planning Cost: Real Median Prices, $300 to $2,475

How much does estate planning cost?

Most estate planning attorneys charge a flat fee. Typical prices are about $300 for a power of attorney, $625 for a will, and $2,475 for a revocable living trust. Those are national medians from a 2026 survey of 909 law firms by LegalTemplates, a company that also sells do-it-yourself legal documents.

Where you go next depends on your situation:

Single with simple assets: start with the will and package prices below.
Married couple: see what couples’ plans cost per person.
Homeowner weighing a trust: jump to the probate math.
On a tight budget: read the online-versus-lawyer comparison.

The cheapest document isn’t always the cheapest plan.

ℹ️ Financial Disclaimer: This article is general education about legal, tax, investment, insurance, and lending or debt topics related to estate planning. It is not personalized legal, tax, or financial advice. Laws vary by state, so consult an estate planning attorney licensed in your state, a CPA, or a fiduciary financial advisor before acting.

Will, trust, and POA prices: single document vs. package

Estate Planning Cost comparison of single documents versus bundled will and trust packages — Bundling a will or trust with related documents typically lowers the total cost.

Buying documents as a bundle usually costs less than buying them one at a time.

Document	Single (median)	Package (median)	Middle 50%, single	Key Detail
Power of attorney	$300	$750	$250–$400	Package adds other documents
Last will	$625	$1,000	$450–$1,000	Package adds POA and health directive
Revocable living trust	$2,475	$2,700	$1,600–$3,000	Package adds pour-over will and a deed

Source: LegalTemplates survey of 909 US law firms, published March 2026 and updated August 2026. The figures are attorney prices. LegalTemplates sells DIY documents; we report its data, not its conclusions.

What’s in a will package vs. a trust package

A will package usually bundles a will, a financial power of attorney, a healthcare directive, and a HIPAA authorization. A trust package adds the trust itself, a pour-over will, and a deed moving one property into the trust.

📊 Data Point: At national medians, will packages save about $225 and trust packages about $1,000 compared with buying the same documents separately. Source: LegalTemplates law-firm survey, 2026.

Couples’ plans: cost per person

The median couple’s will package costs $1,500, which is $750 per person. The median couple’s trust package costs $3,000, or $1,500 each, because couples usually share one joint trust.

Why estate planning quotes vary so much between lawyers

Estate Planning Cost variation between law firms and key factors that increase price — Your specific situation and the firm you choose affect price more than your state does.

The price gap between firms is usually wider than the gap between states.

Flat fee vs. hourly billing

Only about 6% of surveyed firms billed hourly for these documents. The rest quoted flat fees. But just 37% of the 2,469 firms contacted gave a price without first requiring a consultation.

Firm vs. state: where the price gap comes from

State medians sat fairly close together, while prices inside a single state spread widely. In Colorado, the middle half of trust quotes ranged from $1,100 to $3,125. Many firms now meet by video, so any attorney licensed in your state can be an option.

What pushes a quote higher

Several things add drafting time and push the price up:

a blended family
business interests
several properties to retitle
custom trust terms

✅ Action Step: Get written flat-fee quotes from three firms licensed in your state. Ask each to list every document and service the fee covers.

Will vs. trust: what probate could cost your heirs

In California, probate fees are set by statute, so you can calculate them in advance.

🔍 How It Works: California Probate Code §10810 sets the attorney’s fee for ordinary work on a sliding scale, and §10800 gives the executor the same schedule. For a $500,000 estate:
4% of the first $100,000 = $4,000
3% of the next $100,000 = $3,000
2% of the remaining $300,000 = $6,000
That’s $13,000 for the attorney and $13,000 for the executor, or $26,000 if both take the full statutory fee. By comparison, the median attorney-drafted trust in California cost $2,150 in the 2026 survey.

Courts can also approve extra fees for extraordinary services. That makes $26,000 a baseline, not a ceiling.

Why a mortgage doesn’t shrink the fee

The fee is based on the estate’s appraised value, and debts on the property are not subtracted. A $500,000 home with a $400,000 mortgage still counts as $500,000.

Assets that never enter probate

The fee applies only to the probate estate. Assets that pass outside probate, such as accounts with a named beneficiary, don’t count toward it.

Other states set probate fees differently, so treat this as a California example. Our will vs. trust comparison covers the trade-offs beyond cost.

✅ Action Step: Ask a probate attorney licensed in your state: “Which of my assets would go through probate here, and how are the fees set?”

Online will or estate lawyer: what you give up to save

Online platforms cost a fraction of attorney fees, but they don’t advise you on your situation.

LegalZoom’s own comparison page lists will bundles at $129 (LegalZoom) and $199 (Trust & Will). It lists trust bundles at $399 and $499, with attorney help sold as an add-on. Prices change often, so check before buying.

When an online will is usually enough

A template often fits if you have simple assets, live in one state, and can name your beneficiaries without conditions.

When DIY gets risky

Templates fall short for:

blended families
business owners
property in several states
heirs who need a managed inheritance

A joint trust also may not suit couples who have children from earlier marriages.

⚠️ Costly Mistake: A will that isn’t signed and witnessed the way your state requires can be rejected. Your estate would then pass under your state’s default inheritance rules. Check our guide to will signing and witness requirements first.

Do you need estate tax planning? The 2026 threshold

Federal estate tax reaches only very large estates, so most families don’t need paid tax planning.

📊 Data Point: For 2026, the federal estate and gift tax basic exclusion is $15,000,000 per person. The annual gift exclusion is $19,000 per recipient. Source: IRS 2026 inflation adjustments.

The $15 million federal exemption

A gift over $19,000 to one person may require filing Form 709. Usually no tax is due; the gift reduces your remaining exemption. Some states tax estates or inheritances separately. The IRS summarizes current rules on its estate and gift tax updates page.

What happens without a power of attorney

If you can’t manage your money and have no power of attorney, your family may need a court to appoint a guardian or conservator. The CFPB’s guides for financial caregivers explain each role.

✅ Action Step: Ask a CPA or estate attorney: “Does my state tax estates or inheritances, and at what threshold?”

Hidden estate planning costs that aren’t in the quote

A flat-fee quote usually covers drafting, not everything that comes after.

Trust funding and deed work

Trust packages typically include a deed for one property, and retitling anything else can cost extra. A trust only controls what you move into it; see how to fund a living trust.

Updates, revisions, and consultations

Changing your documents later often means a new consultation and drafting fee that the original price didn’t include.

Before you pay, ask:

Is the fee flat and in writing?
Which documents are included?
How many properties does trust funding cover?
Is the signing appointment included?
What will future updates cost?

Estate planning cost FAQs

1. How much does a lawyer charge for a will?

The national median attorney price for a standalone will was $625 in a 2026 survey, or $1,000 as a package.

2. How much does a living trust cost?

A standalone attorney-drafted living trust had a $2,475 median in 2026. Trust packages with a pour-over will and deed ran $2,700.

3. How much does a power of attorney cost?

The median attorney price for a power of attorney was $300, with the middle half of firms charging $250 to $400.

4. Is a will or a trust cheaper?

A will costs less upfront. But California probate on a $500,000 estate can reach $26,000, while the state’s median trust cost $2,150. An estate attorney licensed in your state can tell you which fits your assets.

5. Do estate planning lawyers charge hourly or a flat fee?

Most charge a flat fee. Only about 6% of firms in the 2026 survey billed hourly for wills, trusts, and powers of attorney.

6. How much does an estate plan cost for a married couple?

Median couple’s packages were $1,500 for a will-based plan and $3,000 for a joint trust plan: $750 and $1,500 per person.

7. Can I make a will online instead of hiring a lawyer?

Yes. Online will bundles often cost $129 to $199, but a DIY will still has to meet your state’s signing and witness rules.

8. How much does probate cost?

Probate costs vary by state. California’s statutory fees on a $500,000 estate come to $13,000 each for the attorney and the executor. A probate attorney licensed in your state can estimate your estate’s fees.

9. Will my estate owe federal estate tax in 2026?

Only if it exceeds the $15,000,000 per-person basic exclusion for 2026; most estates fall far below this federal estate tax threshold. A CPA can confirm whether your state has its own estate tax.

10. What costs aren’t included in an estate planning quote?

Quotes often leave out funding additional properties into a trust, future revisions, and follow-up consultations. Ask for the inclusions in writing.

11. Why do estate planning prices vary so much?

Prices vary mostly from firm to firm, not state to state. Family complexity, business interests, and the number of properties to retitle also matter.

Your next step

At median attorney prices, expect about $300 for a power of attorney, $625 for a will, and $2,475 for a trust, with packages lowering the cost per document. Get written flat-fee quotes from three firms licensed in your state. Use our estate planning checklist to gather what they’ll ask you for.

Written byView profile

Sameer Patel — Founder & Editor

Research, drafting and original analysis

Contributor at Finance Authority Hub.

Important notice

Informational disclaimer

The content on Finance Authority Hub is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered personalized financial, investment, tax, legal, or professional advice. Financial decisions depend on your individual goals, income, risk tolerance, location, and regulatory situation. Before acting on any information, strategy, estimate, or calculator result, consult a qualified licensed professional who can evaluate your specific circumstances.

A Clear Look at Estate Planning Costs for a Will, Trust, and POA

In This Article

How much does estate planning cost?

Will, trust, and POA prices: single document vs. package