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A living trust in Ohio costs $1,500 – $2,950 attorney-drafted, $2,000 – $4,000 for a couple’s full plan, or $100–$600 online. The reason that matters here: Ohio sets the executor or administrator’s commission in probate by statute (ORC 2113.35), so what you avoid by having a trust is a fixed, non-negotiable number — not an estimate.
Statutory probate fees are the argument for planning ahead in Ohio.
If your assets are in Ohio only, with no blended family and no estate-tax exposure, an online service like Trust & Will produces a complete Ohio trust in about an hour.
Disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through the Trust & Will links here, at no extra cost to you. Complex situations belong with an attorney and we say so below.
Ohio Living Trust Cost (2026)
| What You’re Paying For | Ohio Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Online trust service | $100 – $600 | Ohio-specific documents; funding is on you |
| Simple will (attorney) | $300 – $600 | Does not avoid probate |
| Living trust, attorney-drafted | $1,500 – $2,950 | Individual, straightforward assets |
| Full estate plan (couple) | $2,000 – $4,000 | Trust + will + POA + directive |
| Deed transfer into trust | $150 – $400 per property | Every Ohio property needs one |
Typical flat fees reported by Ohio attorneys and legal directories, reviewed quarterly. A guide, not a quote.
What Ohio Probate Costs by Statute
Ohio also allows 1% on real property that is not sold — the estate pays a commission on the house even when it passes intact to the heirs.
| Estate Value | Statutory Commission (executor or administrator) |
|---|---|
| $100,000 estate | $4,000 |
| $250,000 estate | $8,500 |
| $500,000 estate | $15,000 |
| $1,000,000 estate | $25,000 |
| $2,000,000 estate | $45,000 |
Computed from ORC 2113.35. Court filing fees, bond, publication, and appraisal costs are additional. Full detail: our Ohio estate planning guide.
What each price point buys in Ohio
- $100–$600 (online): A valid Ohio trust document, pour-over will, and directives. You do the funding — every Ohio deed transfer, every account retitling.
- $1,500 – $2,950 (attorney, individual): Custom drafting, review of how your assets are titled, and usually one deed included. Confirm that last part before you sign.
- $2,000 – $4,000 (attorney, couple): Adds marital property planning.
Trust vs. probate in Ohio
| With a Trust | Without | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $1,500–$4,250 (one-time trust creation) | Attorney fees ~1.5%–3% of estate value + executor fees (up to 4%) + court costs |
| Timeline | Weeks to a few months | Months to over a year |
| Privacy | Private | Public court record |
Online or Ohio Attorney?
| Situation | Route |
|---|---|
| Assets only in Ohio, standard estate | Online service |
| Property in 2+ states, blended family, business | Attorney |
The dividing line is funding, not drafting. Online documents are valid in Ohio; what they don’t do is retitle your assets. See funding your trust.
Other Ohio rules that affect the plan
- No immediate interest created.: The beneficiary gets nothing until the owner dies. The owner retains full power to sell, mortgage, or transfer the property as if the affidavit didn’t exist.
- No delivery required.: Unlike a deed, the affidavit doesn’t need to be given to the beneficiary.
- Completely revocable.: The owner can revoke or change the beneficiary at any time by filing a new affidavit or a revocation.
- Must be recorded: with the county recorder before the owner’s death to be effective.
- Mansion house right: The right to live in the principal residence rent-free for one year after the spouse’s death (ORC § 2106.15)
- Right to purchase estate assets: at appraised values
- Healthcare Power of Attorney: (ORC 1337.11-1337.17) — appoints an agent to make medical decisions when you cannot. Broader than a living will — applies in any situation when you can’t communicate, not just terminal illness.
- Living Will Declaration: (ORC § 2133.02) — applies only when you’re terminally ill or permanently unconscious. Must be witnessed by two adults or notarized.
- POLST: (Portable Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) — a physician-signed medical order for patients with serious conditions. Distinct from advance directives in that it’s a medical order, not just a patient preference.
- Durable by default: — survives the principal’s incapacity unless expressly stated otherwise (ORC § 1337.24)
- Joint tenancy: property
- Kentucky: — imposes an inheritance tax on KY-situs property. Class A beneficiaries (spouse, children, siblings) are exempt, but Class B and C heirs face 4%–16%.
Recent Ohio Changes Worth Knowing
- 2021 — HB 464 (133rd GA): Expanded guardian authority to create estate plans for wards (with probate court approval). Clarified surviving spouse’s automobile allowance and allowance for support. Updated Ohio Trust Code and Legacy Trust provisions.
- 2013 — Estate Tax Repeal: Ohio’s state estate tax eliminated effective January 1, 2013.
- 2012 — Decanting Statute: ORC § 5808.18 enacted, allowing trustees with discretionary distribution authority to “pour” assets into a new trust with modified terms.
- 2009 — TOD Affidavit: Ohio eliminated TOD deeds and replaced them with the TOD designation affidavit system (ORC § 5302.22).
Living trust costs in nearby states
Attorney pricing and probate rules shift at the state line — compare Ohio with Michigan, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kentucky.
When to Hire An Ohio Attorney
Online stops being the right answer when the estate has moving parts: property in more than one state, a blended family, a business, or anyone you intend to exclude.
- Get two or three flat-fee quotes. Identical work varies by $1,000+ inside one metro.
- Ask what’s included. Deed transfers run $150–$400 each and are often quoted separately.
- Don’t buy complexity you don’t have.
Three ways to pay less in Ohio
- Understand what the statute fixes and what it doesn’t. ORC 2113.35 sets the executor or administrator figure in probate, but a trust sidesteps that schedule entirely — and trust drafting itself is never statutory, so those quotes are always negotiable.
- Count the deeds before comparing prices. At $150–$400 apiece, with properties in multiple counties each needing their own recorded transfer, a quote including one deed can beat a cheaper quote including none.
- Match the product to the situation. A home and retirement accounts in Ohio only is the exact case the online route handles well.
Official sources: codes.ohio.gov · codes.ohio.gov · codes.ohio.gov · codes.ohio.gov
FAQ
How much does a living trust cost in Ohio?
$1,500 – $2,950 attorney-drafted, $2,000 – $4,000 for a couple’s full estate plan, or $100 to $600 through an online service. Add $150 to $400 per property for the deed transfers that fund it.
How are probate fees set in Ohio?
By statute. Under ORC 2113.35, the executor or administrator is compensated on a fixed schedule — about $15,000 on a $500,000 estate. That figure is the cost of not planning.
Can I make my own living trust in Ohio?
Yes — online services produce valid Ohio documents. The risk is funding: a trust that doesn’t hold title to your home doesn’t avoid probate for it.
If the online route fits your situation, Trust & Will’s trust plan covers Ohio and takes about an hour.
More: Living trust costs nationwide · Ohio estate planning guide · Funding your trust
Last updated: August 2026. Educational information, not legal advice or a quote.