An individual trust package is $2,900. A couple's package is $3,600. Those are flat fees, quoted before you hire us, and they do not change because your file took longer than expected.
I publish them because refusing to publish prices is a tactic, and a fairly transparent one.
The prices
| Package | Flat fee |
|---|---|
| Individual trust package | $2,900 |
| Couple's trust package | $3,600 |
| Will-based package, no trust | $1,200 |
| Trust amendment | From $750 |
| Initial consultation, 45 minutes | Free |
What the trust package includes
- The revocable living trust itself, drafted for your situation rather than filled in from a template
- A pour-over will, which catches anything not retitled during your lifetime
- A durable power of attorney for finances
- An advance health care directive with HIPAA authorization
- A certification of trust, the short document banks actually ask for
- Preparation and recording of a deed transferring one California property into the trust
- Written funding instructions for your accounts, and a signing appointment at our office with a notary
What it does not include, stated plainly
- County recording fees and any documentary transfer tax, which are government charges we pass through at cost
- Deeds for property outside California, which require counsel licensed in that state
- Probate, if a probate turns out to be necessary for assets that were never transferred
- Trust administration after a death, which is separate work and separately quoted
- Any dispute, contest, or litigation, all of which are hourly with a retainer
- Amendments after the first year. Changes within the first twelve months for a drafting error on our end are free. Changes because you changed your mind start at $750
- Court filing fees on anything that goes to court
- Tax return preparation of any kind
You can get this cheaper, and sometimes you should
An online service will sell you a California trust for two or three hundred dollars. The documents are frequently adequate. What you are not buying is someone deciding whether you need a trust at all, someone drafting the distribution clause with Prop 19 in mind, and, most importantly, someone recording the deed. The overwhelming majority of failed trusts I clean up in probate court failed at funding, not drafting. If you are confident you can handle the deed correctly and your situation is simple, the cheap option is a real option. I would rather say that than pretend otherwise.
Why flat fees for this work
Planning is predictable. I have done enough of these to know what a typical file takes, and pricing by the hour would mean you paying for my inefficiency and hesitating to call with questions. Neither of those helps you.
Disputes are the opposite, which is why we bill those hourly. Probate is set by statute and neither of us gets a vote. Those pages explain each in detail.
“The number that actually matters is not $2,900. It is the difference between $2,900 now and $23,000 to a probate attorney plus another $23,000 to whichever of your children serves as executor on a million dollar house. That is the comparison, and I would rather you make it with real figures than with a feeling.”
Delia Vasquez-HartHow payment works
Half at engagement, half at signing. We do not bill for phone calls, emails, or the second draft. If your situation turns out to be more complicated than a standard package, for example a blended family with a prior marital agreement or a closely held business, we tell you that at the free consultation and quote a different flat number before you commit to anything.
Questions we get asked
Is the consultation really free?
Yes, 45 minutes, in person at our Wilshire office or by video. If the answer is that you do not need a trust, that is the answer you get and there is no charge.
What if I own two houses?
The package covers preparation and recording of one California deed. Additional California properties are quoted at the consultation and are not expensive. Out of state property needs local counsel.
Do you charge to review a trust I already have?
A general review fits inside the free consultation. A detailed written analysis of an existing plan is separate work and we quote it up front.
How long does it take?
Typically two to four weeks from engagement to signing, faster if there is a health reason to move quickly. Tell us if there is.
Next step
Book the free 45-minute consultation and bring your most recent property tax bill plus a list of your accounts with their beneficiary designations. Those two items are enough for me to tell you what you actually need. Call (310) 555-0219.