How much does a living trust cost?
From $149 to $3,000+, and the part nobody quotes is the funding.
The short answer
An attorney drafted revocable living trust package typically costs $1,500 to $3,000 or more in the US, usually including a pour over will and powers of attorney. Online, a trust and pour over will start around $149. Funding costs extra: recording a new deed generally runs $30 to $250 depending on the county.
Trust pricing is quoted as a package, which makes comparison hard on purpose. Here is what is usually inside one.
What an attorney package includes
Typically the revocable living trust, a pour over will, a financial power of attorney, an advance directive, and a deed transferring your home into the trust. That is the usual $1,500 to $3,000 or more.
Higher figures generally mean a more complex estate, a couple with separate trusts, or a market with high billing rates rather than a better document.
What online costs
On Legacy Buddy a revocable living trust with its pour over will is $149 once, or included in a $49 a year plan that also covers both powers of attorney and every other document, with unlimited free edits.
The comparison worth making is not just the first price but the second: amending an attorney drafted trust later is billable, and life changes.
The funding cost nobody quotes
A trust governs only what it owns. Retitling a home means preparing and recording a new deed, and county recording fees typically run $30 to $250. Some counties charge more, and a few transfers can trigger other filings.
Re-registering bank and brokerage accounts is generally free but takes paperwork and time. Budget the afternoon, not just the fee.
When a trust is worth it
Real property, particularly in more than one state. A wish for privacy, since a will becomes a public record when filed. Or a wish to control timing, holding a child’s share until an age you choose.
If none of those apply, a will and both powers of attorney are a complete plan and a trust is an expense with a maintenance obligation attached.
Questions people also ask
Is a cheap online trust valid?
A trust is valid if it is properly created and executed under your state’s rules, and funded with assets. The document being generated online does not affect that. The funding does.
Do I need a lawyer to fund a trust?
Not necessarily. Many people record a deed themselves. A mortgage, a title insurance policy, commercial property or an unusual ownership structure are good reasons to get help with that specific step.
Does a living trust save taxes?
A revocable living trust does not reduce income or estate tax by itself, because while you are alive it is treated as yours. Structures that change the tax position are a different instrument and a different conversation.
Legacy Buddy provides document creation tools, not legal advice.
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