Average Cost of a Living Trust by State
What a revocable living trust actually costs where you live — attorney pricing, online options, and the honest part most sites skip: whether a trust is even worth it in your state, measured against what probate would really cost your family.
The national picture, briefly
Across the US, an attorney-drafted revocable living trust typically costs $1,500 to $3,000 for a straightforward single-person plan, and more for couples or complex estates. Reputable online services run roughly $200 to $800, and pure DIY templates are nearly free — but only worth it if the trust is correctly drafted and funded.
Here’s the key idea this whole cluster is built on: a living trust is worth its cost only to the extent it saves you from probate. And probate cost varies enormously by state — from cheap, simple independent administration in Texas to California’s statutory percentage fees that can run $26,000+ on a single home. So the right question isn’t “what does a trust cost?” — it’s “what does a trust save me, in my state?”
The pages below answer that state by state.
- California CA View →
- Texas TX View →
- Florida FL View →
- Virginia VA View →
- New York NY View →
- Pennsylvania PA View →
- Illinois IL View →
- Ohio OH View →
- Georgia GA View →
- North Carolina NC View →
- Michigan MI View →
- Connecticut CT View →
- Arkansas AR View →
- Indiana IN View →
How to read these pages
- Attorney vs. online vs. DIY. Each page gives the real price range for all three. Online is fine for simple estates; pay attorney rates for real complexity.
- What it saves you. Every page ties the trust’s cost to that state’s actual probate cost — the only honest way to judge whether it’s worth it.
- Funding matters more than price. An unfunded trust does nothing. Every page covers how to actually move your assets in.
Want the basics first?
If you’re still deciding whether you need a trust at all, start here:
- How Much Does a Living Trust Cost? — the national cost breakdown.
- Will vs. Trust: Which Do You Need? — the honest decision between the two.
- How to Avoid Probate (Honestly, and Without Overpaying) — every probate-avoidance tool, not just trusts.
Educational information only — not legal or financial advice. Prices and laws change and depend on your situation. Always confirm current figures and rules with a licensed attorney in your state. Sources: published 2026 attorney and online-service pricing; state probate-fee statutes and bar consumer resources cited on each state page.