Straight answer: a living trust costs $100 to $600 through an online service, $1,500 to $3,000 for an attorney-drafted individual trust, and $2,500 to $5,000+ for couples. A complete estate plan — trust, pour-over will, power of attorney, and healthcare directive — typically runs $2,000 to $7,000 through an attorney, depending on your state.
Those ranges come from the attorney fee data we track across all 50 states and DC — not a national average that’s accurate nowhere. Your state matters more than any other factor: the same trust package that costs $1,500 in Wisconsin can cost $8,500 in New York. Find your state in the table below for the real number.
You can set up a living trust online in about an hour.
For straightforward situations — one state, no blended family, no estate-tax exposure — an online service like Trust & Will handles a complete, state-specific trust for a fraction of attorney pricing.
Start your trust with Trust & Will →
Own property in multiple states, have a blended family, or live in a state with its own estate tax? Skip to when you need an attorney instead ↓
Disclosure: Family Estate Guide earns a commission if you purchase through the Trust & Will links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We recommend them because their state-specific documents fit the situations described below — not because of the commission. Complex situations still belong with an attorney, and we say so.
What a Living Trust Costs (2026)
| Option | Typical Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Online trust service | $100 – $600 | State-specific documents; you handle funding and deeds |
| Attorney-drafted trust (individual) | $1,500 – $3,000 | Custom drafting, titling review, usually one deed transfer |
| Attorney-drafted trust (couple) | $2,500 – $5,000+ | Adds marital/community property planning |
| Full estate plan package | $2,000 – $7,000+ | Trust + pour-over will + POA + healthcare directive |
| Deed transfers | $150 – $400 per property | Required to actually fund the trust with real estate |
Online Service or Attorney? The 60-Second Answer
| Your Situation | Best Route | What You’ll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| One state, standard assets (home, retirement accounts, bank) | Online service | A few hundred dollars |
| Married in a community property state | Either — online works; attorney review is cheap insurance | Varies |
| Property in 2+ states, blended family, or business ownership | Attorney | $1,500 – $7,000 |
| Estate near a state estate-tax threshold | Attorney | $3,000 – $12,000+ |
The line sits where it sits because of funding, not document quality. Online documents are state-specific and legally valid. What they don’t do is retitle your assets, coordinate deeds across states, or plan around a state estate tax — and an unfunded trust does nothing. See funding your trust.
The Five Things That Move the Price
- Your state. The single biggest factor — see the table below. High-cost-of-living states and states with complex property regimes (community property, statutory probate fees) sit at the top.
- Single vs. married. Couples’ trusts involve marital property decisions and often cost 60–80% more than individual trusts.
- Real estate count. Every property needs a recorded deed transfer into the trust. Multiple properties — especially in multiple states — add real money.
- Complexity. Blended families, business interests, estates near the federal $15 million exemption, or a state estate tax push you out of flat-fee territory — and out of online-service territory too.
- Who does the work. Online services are cheap because they stop at the document. The document is the easy part — funding is the job.
Living Trust Cost by State
Full estate plan package (trust + will + POA + healthcare directive), typical attorney-quoted ranges by state:
| State | Full Estate Plan (typical) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,200 – $4,250+ |
| Alaska | $1,500 – $4,500+ |
| Arizona | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| Arkansas | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| California | $3,000 – $7,000+ |
| Colorado | see state guide |
| Connecticut | $1,500 – $5,650+ |
| District of Columbia | $2,500 – $7,000+ |
| Delaware | $2,000 – $5,000+ |
| Florida | $2,000 – $6,000+ |
| Georgia | $5,000 – $8,500 |
| Hawaii | $1,500 – $5,650 |
| Idaho | $2,500 – $5,650 |
| Illinois | $2,500 – $7,000 |
| Indiana | $1,500 – $5,650 |
| Iowa | $3,000 – $7,000 |
| Kansas | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| Kentucky | $2,500 – $6,000 |
| Louisiana | $3,000 – $7,000+ |
| Maine | $3,000 – $7,000 |
| Maryland | $2,500 – $6,000+ |
| Massachusetts | $2,000 – $5,500+ |
| Michigan | $3,000 – $7,000 |
| Minnesota | $3,000 – $7,000 |
| Mississippi | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| Missouri | $1,500 – $5,000+ |
| Montana | $2,500 – $6,000+ |
| Nebraska | $2,500 – $6,000 |
| Nevada | $1,500 – $5,000+ |
| New Hampshire | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| New Jersey | $2,500 – $6,500+ |
| New Mexico | $3,000 – $6,000 |
| New York | $3,000 – $8,500+ |
| North Carolina | $1,500 – $4,250+ |
| North Dakota | $900 – $4,950 |
| Ohio | $1,500 – $4,250 |
| Oklahoma | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| Oregon | $900 – $4,950+ |
| Pennsylvania | $2,500 – $6,500+ |
| Rhode Island | $1,500 – $5,000 |
| South Carolina | $900 – $4,950 |
| South Dakota | $1,500 – $5,000+ |
| Tennessee | $2,000 – $4,500 |
| Texas | $2,000 – $5,000+ |
| Utah | $900 – $3,900+ |
| Vermont | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| Virginia | see state guide |
| Washington | $2,500 – $6,000+ |
| West Virginia | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| Wisconsin | $1,500 – $3,500 |
| Wyoming | $3,000 – $7,000 |
Ranges reflect typical flat fees reported by attorneys and legal directories in each state, reviewed quarterly. Each state links to its full cost breakdown — probate rules, state estate taxes, and everything else that changes the math where you live.
Deeper references: the full state estate & inheritance tax tables and the federal exemption, current and historical.
When the Attorney Is Worth 10x the Online Price
A single person with simple assets can reasonably go online — the documents are state-specific and valid. The attorney earns their fee when your situation has moving parts: property in more than one state, a blended family, a business, or exposure to one of the 17 states with their own estate or inheritance tax. The attorney’s real product isn’t the document; it’s making sure your home’s title actually moves into the trust, your beneficiary designations don’t contradict it, and your state’s rules are handled. Your state’s guide lists local bar referral services and what to ask before hiring.
Living Trust Cost — FAQ
How much does it cost to set up a trust?
$100–$600 with an online service; $1,500–$3,000 for an attorney-drafted individual trust; $2,500–$5,000+ for couples. Add $150–$400 per property for deed transfers to fund the trust.
Why is there such a big price range?
State, marital status, property count, and complexity. Attorney rates in New York or California metros are double what the same work costs in the rural Midwest, and couples’ trusts cost more than individual ones everywhere.
Are there ongoing fees after the trust is set up?
For a revocable living trust you manage yourself — no. You pay to create it and occasionally to amend it. Online platforms typically include updates in a small subscription. Professional trustee fees only apply if you hire a professional trustee, which most families don’t need during their lifetimes.
Does a living trust save money on taxes?
No — a revocable trust is tax-neutral. Its financial value is avoiding probate costs and delay, not reducing taxes. With the federal exemption at $15 million per person (2026), most families’ tax exposure is at the state level, not federal.
Ready to get it done? If your situation fits the online route, Trust & Will’s trust-based estate plan takes about an hour and includes the documents most families need.
Go deeper: What is a living trust? · Trust vs. will · Funding your trust · How to avoid probate
Last updated: August 2026. Fee ranges are reviewed quarterly against attorney directories and state bar data. Educational information, not legal advice or a quote.