How Much Does it Cost to Set Up a Trust?

SmartAsset
By Rickie Houston
July 3rd, 2025

Setting up a trust can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on factors like its complexity, legal assistance and administrative requirements.

Basic trust documents are available through online services for a few hundred dollars, while working with an attorney usually ranges between $1,000 and $4,000 or more. You may also encounter additional expenses, such as court filing fees or trustee management charges.

The overall cost will depend on whether you are single or married, how complex the trust needs to be and what state you and your assets are in.

Other variables include the probate or estate planning lawyer’s time and expertise. Some highly complex trusts of wealthy people cost upwards of $5,000 to $7,000.

Aside from creating a trust, there will be additional costs for drafting documents transferring property and assets into the trust. These additional costs can range from $350 to several thousand dollars. This is because the paperwork and legal filing paperwork has a fee and can take up another chunk of time to complete.

Since costs can vary widely based on your unique situation, it’s important to account for both the upfront setup costs and any ongoing maintenance fees when planning.