Every figure sourced and dated, or it does not publish
TheLawFacts

Legal costs and timelines, in plain numbers. Not a law firm.

Estate planning, in numbers

Estate planning, explained with real numbers.

Every figure sourced and dated. Updated 2026-08-31.

Most pages about estate planning tell you it is important. Almost none tell you what it costs. Here are the numbers, sourced: a 2026 study of 909 law firms puts the average attorney-drafted will at $733, with typical basic wills running $300 to $600. An attorney-drafted living trust typically runs $1,500 to $3,500.

Why the numbers matter more than the lecture

Roughly about 2 out of 3 American adults have no will. Skipping the plan does not skip the cost; it moves the cost to your family later: probate typically consumes 3% to 7% of the gross estate and takes 6 to 12 months for a typical uncontested estate. On a $500,000 estate that share is real money by any measure.

Wondering what a plan for your family would involve?

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The three decisions that set your price

Will or trust. The cost difference is the table stakes above; the practical difference is what happens after you die, and we lay it out with numbers in Will vs trust. DIY, online, or attorney. Each tier is priced in the full cost breakdown. Now or later. Probate timelines by state are in How long does probate take.

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Sources for every figure on this page