[Kieu]

Living trust – what is the best way of having it done without costing so much?

Setting up a living trust can be a smart way to manage your assets and ensure a smoother transition for your heirs. However, the process is often seen as complicated and expensive.

I’m looking for practical advice on how to create a living trust in an affordable way. Are there specific steps, online services, or tips that can help reduce the costs without sacrificing legal protection?

Should I consider doing it myself with a trusted template, or is it better to consult a professional even if the budget is tight?

I’d appreciate any insights from people who have successfully set up a living trust without spending a fortune. Any common mistakes to avoid would also be helpful!

Thank you!

[Kara]

Pay for an attorney. Get real advice. I’m all for going alone on a will (if you don’t have kids) but if you think you actually need a trust, then you need to hire an attorney who can advise you on the type of trust that will benefit you.

This varies by state and your personal financial/family circumstances.

ALSO, the attorney will teach you how to “fund” your trust.

The fanciest trust in the world is useless if you don’t put (and keep) your assets in it.

[Joel]

Personally, I used NOLO Trust and Willmaker…
You do need to do some reading to understand your options and you have to follow Theo and find the trust.

A key question of course is WHY?

I am in CA and probate is ridiculous. Your state is likely different—so make sure you have good reasons.

[Bill]

If your company has a prepaid legal plan benefit, that’s the best option.

You really don’t want to DIY important legal documents.

[Tina]

I’m an estate planning and elder law attorney; you either pay now to have it done right or your estate pays for it later to probate or fix things to be right.

[Katie]

You need to find out if you actually need/want a living trust first.

Talk to a lawyer that exclusively does estate work.

[Anna]

We had an estate attorney do ours and it wasn’t as expensive as I thought.

We got the trust, power of attorney, guardianship forms, and our properties moved into our trust.

[Lori]

They’re not that expensive. My mom did hers for about $1100 including the county deed docs.

[Author]

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