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By Alex Diaz · How we calculate this
A simple attorney-drafted will typically costs $300-$1,200. Skip it, and the state decides for you: intestate succession laws divide the estate through probate court using a fixed formula that may not match what you'd actually want for your family. The calculator treats this as a one-time cost, weighing the legal fee you enter against roughly three months of your budget rather than a single month's income.
These key factors affect will affordability
Complexity of your estate drives cost
A simple will handled by an attorney typically runs $300-$1,200. Add a trust, blended-family considerations, business ownership, or real estate in more than one state, and total estate planning costs can climb to $2,000-$5,000 or more, since it's the number of documents and the attorney's time spent on your specific situation that drives the final bill, not the length of the will itself.
DIY and online options versus attorney-drafted documents
Online will-making software can run as little as $0-$150, a fraction of what an attorney charges for the same straightforward situation with few assets and no complicated family dynamics. Complex estates, or ones with minor children, real estate in multiple states, or business interests, usually still benefit from professional review even when a template handles the first draft. Either way, it's worth remembering that a will still has to pass through probate court to take effect; it directs how the estate gets divided, but it doesn't skip the court process the way a funded living trust can.
Bundled estate planning packages
Attorneys often price a will as part of a bundle that also includes a durable power of attorney and a healthcare directive, sometimes a living trust too, so the fee you're quoted may cover just one document out of the fuller set most planners recommend. Most states also require two witnesses to sign along with you, and paying a little extra for a notarized self-proving affidavit at the same appointment can spare your family from having to track those witnesses down in probate court years later.
How to use your results
- Compare the flat fee most attorneys quote for a basic will against the potential cost of dying without one, since intestate probate can end up costing families far more in court and administrative fees.
- If your result shows low risk, consider whether a bundled package with a power of attorney and healthcare directive makes more financial sense than a standalone will.
- If cost is the main obstacle, weigh an online will-making service against an attorney-drafted one based on how complex your assets and family situation actually are.
Ways to make a will more affordable
- Ask about flat-fee pricing instead of hourly billing, since most estate attorneys quote a flat rate for a basic will that avoids surprise costs.
- Check whether your employer offers a legal benefits plan or discounted attorney network as part of your workplace benefits.
- Look into free or low-cost legal aid clinics, many of which offer will preparation for seniors, veterans, or low-income individuals.
- Consider a reputable online will service for a simple estate, then pay an attorney a smaller fee to review it rather than draft one from scratch.
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