Cost of will/power of attorney/advanced medical directive

[Anonymous]

My DH and I are getting ready to draw up a will, power of attorney and advanced medical directive. We are also contemplating drawing up a trust. How much did you pay for these services? I have gotten one quote so far: about $1,200 for the first three and $2,500 if we do all four. Our financial situation is fairly uncomplicated, but we are contemplating the trust because: A) if, God forbid, my husband and I go at the same time, we don't want our DC to get everything at age 21 and we want to add some stipulations and B) we would likely need a trust when we get old anyway. Do the prices seem in line with what you paid?

[Anonymous]

You don't have to do a trust in the sense of a "trust".

At least in VA, should you both die, you can set it up so that everything is put into a trust for your children until whatever age you choose.

If you create a trust off the bat, then you have to retitle all of your assets (cars, house, bank accounts, etc) into the name of the trust. It's a huge pain.

The prices seem a bit low to me, so that's probably a good thing.

[Anonymous]

We paid $450 five years ago for a will, POA, and medical directive. Two years ago (after kids) we decided to set up a trust. It cost $2500. Same lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Prices seem reasonable to me, I did a Will, advanced directive, medical and financial powers of attorney (Md. & general, Md. has its own specific statutory POA form for financial durable POAs), and living will for my mother, and it was $3,500 (from a top notch attorney/firm, so at the higher end of the price scale I would think).

Agree, beware of the hassle of living trusts and re-titling everything; other estate planning measures can help get similar results without that added complication.

This is not legal advice, ymmv, etc. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

We just paid $2000 for wills, medical, poa, trusts.

We were actually quoted "not likely to excede $2500" and I was super organized and clear with him and it came it at 2k.

[Anonymous]

My husband and I need to have all of this done, can anyone recommend their attorney that did this for them?

[Anonymous]

I got quoted 1200 for a will and 4000 for a trust in Nova. I decided to go with the $50 Nolo willmaker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got quoted 1200 for a will and 4000 for a trust in Nova. I decided to go with the $50 Nolo willmaker.

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[ouch] this is often a case of you get what you pay for, those things are rarely up to speed with the latest nuances in state-specific things that can make administration of a trust hell down the line ... often penny-wise and pound foolish but it's your $$$

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I need to have all of this done, can anyone recommend their attorney that did this for them?

We have an appointment next week with Ed Marin in Gaithersburg, who was recommended to me by a longtime friend and to us by our financial advisor. We think it's going to be $2500 or so.

[Anonymous]

Cochran and Owen in McLean.

We used Debby Cochran. She's great.