Educational guide — not legal advice. Costs vary by attorney and Georgia county. Always get a written engagement letter with the exact fee before any work begins.
The short answer
“Estate plan” can mean anything from a single will to a full trust package, so the price depends on what you actually need:
| What you’re getting | Typical Georgia cost |
|---|---|
| Basic will only | $200–$600 |
| Will + financial POA + advance directive (basic plan) | $500–$1,500 |
| Revocable living trust package (trust + pour-over will + POAs + directive) | $1,500–$3,500 |
| Complex plan (blended family, special needs, business, out-of-state property) | $3,500–$8,000+ |
| Online will (simple situation) | $0–$300 |
Metro Atlanta runs at the higher end of these ranges; smaller Georgia markets run lower. Re-verify current quotes locally.
What each package includes
A basic will ($200–$600)
A Georgia-compliant will customized to your wishes, guidance on naming an executor and guardians for minor children, and a signing appointment with witnesses. It does not include a power of attorney, an advance directive, or a trust — those are separate.
A full basic estate plan ($500–$1,500)
The will plus the documents most adults need:
- Durable financial power of attorney — names someone to manage your money if you can’t.
- Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care — the state’s combined living will + health care agent form.
- Often a HIPAA authorization so your agent can access medical records.
For most Georgia families, this is the sweet spot — a complete plan for a modest flat fee.
A revocable living trust package ($1,500–$3,500)
Everything above plus a revocable living trust and a pour-over will. In Georgia this is worth it mainly if you want to keep real estate out of probate (Georgia has no transfer-on-death deed), own property in more than one state, or want privacy and incapacity protection. Ask whether trust funding — retitling your home and accounts into the trust — is included.
A complex plan ($3,500–$8,000+)
Blended families, special-needs beneficiaries, business succession, or out-of-state property. The price reflects real attorney time.
Do most Georgians need a trust?
Usually not. Georgia probate is moderately priced — there’s no statutory attorney-fee percentage, and routine cases run a few thousand dollars — and Georgia has no state estate or inheritance tax. So the big drivers that push people toward trusts in high-cost states (like California’s statutory fees) don’t apply as strongly here.
A trust earns its cost in Georgia mostly for real estate (because there’s no TOD deed to pass a home outside probate cheaply), multi-state property, privacy, or incapacity planning. For a typical family whose accounts already have named beneficiaries, a will-based plan is enough. See Do You Need a Living Trust in Georgia?.
Georgia-specific things that affect cost
- No state death taxes. Georgia has no estate or inheritance tax, so tax-driven planning isn’t a factor for most people.
- Year’s Support. Georgia has a distinctive procedure that lets a surviving spouse or minor children set aside estate property for their support — sometimes avoiding full administration entirely. It’s handled after death, but it shapes how much planning a family needs. See Estate Planning in Georgia.
- Witnesses, not notarization. A Georgia will needs two witnesses; a notarized self-proving affidavit is optional but smart. See Does a Will Have to Be Notarized in Georgia?.
Online and DIY options
For simple situations, online services (FreeWill, Trust & Will, LegalZoom, Quicken WillMaker) produce Georgia-compliant wills for $0–$300. They’re a good fit when your situation is straightforward and you can confidently answer a guided questionnaire. Georgia does not recognize handwritten (holographic) wills, so a DIY will still must be typed, signed, and witnessed by two people — follow the instructions exactly.
A reasonable rule: if you can answer every question on the questionnaire without hesitation, online is fine. The moment you’re unsure — a blended family, a special-needs child, a business — that’s when a Georgia attorney earns the fee.
The cost of not planning
It’s worth weighing the price of a plan against the cost of skipping one. If you die without any documents in Georgia:
- Intestacy decides who inherits — the state’s formula, not your wishes. For blended families or unmarried partners, the result is often not what you’d have chosen.
- The estate still goes through administration, which runs $2,500–$7,500 in a routine case, plus filing and publication costs — money that comes out of what your heirs receive.
- No one is pre-named to manage your finances or make medical decisions if you’re incapacitated, so your family may face a court conservatorship or guardianship — far more expensive and slower than the $500–$1,500 a POA and advance directive would have cost.
Seen that way, a basic estate plan isn’t really a cost — it’s a way to spend a little now so your family spends much less (in money and stress) later.
Ways to spend less
- Buy the plan you need, not the trust you don’t. For most Georgians, the $500–$1,500 basic plan is enough.
- Do the prep work — know your executor, guardians, and who inherits what before you meet the attorney.
- Comparison-shop — flat-fee quotes vary across Georgia; get two or three.
- Keep beneficiary designations current — retirement accounts and life insurance pass outside probate for free.
- Check for will clinics — some Georgia legal aid organizations and bar associations run free or low-cost will clinics for seniors and qualifying residents.
The honest takeaway
For most middle-class Georgians, a $500–$1,500 attorney package — will, financial power of attorney, and advance directive — is a complete plan. Add a living trust ($1,500–$3,500) only if you specifically want to keep real estate out of probate, own property in two states, or need privacy and incapacity planning. Georgia charges no death taxes and has reasonably priced probate, so the biggest mistake here is either doing nothing or overpaying for a trust you don’t need.
Common questions
Do you need a lawyer to make a will in Georgia?
No. You can make a valid Georgia will yourself or online, as long as it’s typed, signed, and witnessed by two people. An attorney is worth it for complex situations or the certainty of professional drafting.
Does Georgia have an estate or inheritance tax?
No — Georgia has neither. Only the federal estate tax (very large estates) applies.
How much does a living trust cost in Georgia?
Typically $1,500–$3,500 from an attorney for a full trust package, or $300–$600 online for a simple situation. Remember to fund it.
Is an online will valid in Georgia?
Yes, if it’s typed, signed, and witnessed by two people. Georgia does not accept handwritten (holographic) wills, so follow the signing instructions carefully.
Related reading
- Does a Will Have to Be Notarized in Georgia?
- Do You Need a Living Trust in Georgia?
- Estate Planning in Georgia: The Complete Guide
- How Much Does a Will Cost with a Lawyer? (national)
- How Much Does a Living Trust Cost?
Educational information only — not legal advice. Georgia estate-planning costs vary by attorney, county, and complexity; figures are 2026 estimates. Always get a written engagement letter before any work begins. Sources: O.C.G.A. Title 53 (Revised Probate Code); State Bar of Georgia; published flat-fee surveys.