What Does a Living Trust Cost?

Pricing Expectations for a Complete Living Trust Package

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Law firms are traditionally hesitant to offer pricing information upfront. That's not necessarily a bad thing. After all, clients' circumstances, needs, and goals differ considerably.

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That being said, in general, clients tend to fall in two categories:

 

• Foundational estate planning for relatively straightforward needs; and

• Advanced estate planning for circumstances requiring additional customization or sophistication.

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Over 60% of our clients fall within the Foundation category. They have relatively straightforward family and financial circumstances. If married, their trusts tend to give everything to the surviving spouse at the first death. Trusts for children or other beneficiaries last for a reasonable time (such as age 25 or 30), and are distributed outright beyond that age. That said, although they are more simple, our foundational trusts are still very complete and include essential tax planning provisions to provide flexibility for changed circumstances and changes in the law, as well as meaningful protection for children and other beneficiaries.

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Other clients require more Advanced services and documents due to the size of their estate, citizenship, asset details, or distribution goals (which may include, for example, providing for a spouse in a precise way that addresses concerns about things like remarriage, or keeping trusts for children in place throughout their lifetime in order to provide ongoing protections from things like divorce, creditor claims, and lawsuits). 

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You may already have an idea what category applies most to you. But you don't have to. Our planning interview and attorney review and recommendation will help identify if your plan involves more advanced elements. If it does, we will highlight what the appropriate fees would be to address them.       

  

​Both foundational and advanced plans include the following services and documents: 

 

• Our proprietary online planning interview (the same interview is used for both Foundation and Advanced plans)

• Attorney review of your planning interview and a custom, personalized planning recommendation provided in writing detailing the scope, investment, and a timeline estimate to completion

• Focused attorney communication and consulting

• Customized, Revocable Living Trust (or complete Restatement of an existing Trust)

• Pour-Over Will (directing assets to your trust if they weren't there already at death)

• Guardianship nominations for minor children, where applicable 

• Property Agreement (addresses community and separate property and can provide valuable tax advantages)

• Powers of Attorney (allow those you trust to address your financial and property matters if you're incapacitated)

• Health Care Directive and HIPAA Authorization

• California Real Estate Deed to transfer a primary residence to your Trust

• Deed Recording with County

• Trust Funding Assignments and Declarations

• Guidance with integrating financial accounts with your Trust

• A relaxed and professional signing meeting with notarization (notary fees are not included)

 

You get a comprehensive, expert attorney prepared California Living Trust based estate plan with either option, personalized for your unique situation and goals.

 

Below are pricing expectations which are subject to confirmation following receipt of your online planning interview. Note, the same planning interview is used for both foundation and advanced plans.

    

Defined Scope. Predictable Fees.

Our flat fees are based on a clearly defined scope of legal services. Attorney guidance focuses on the planning decisions, provisions, and practical considerations relevant to your circumstances. Communication is designed to address those matters rather than engaging in exhaustive, provision-by-provision discussions.

 

This approach allows us to deliver thoughtful, attorney-guided estate planning with transparent, predictable pricing, while keeping communications focused on meaningful planning guidance rather than extended discussions of highly technical or standardized/established document provisions.

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