The short answer

A complete living trust package in Roseville typically runs anywhere from $500 (DIY platforms) to $8,000 or more (full-service estate attorneys). Most Placer County families fall somewhere in the middle and pay between $1,500 and $3,500 for a properly prepared trust.

Our flat fee is $1,995 for a complete estate package with the Placer County deed recording included. That's the same documents an attorney would prepare, without the hourly billing.

Bottom line

Don't shop on price alone — shop on what's included. The cheapest trust on the market is worthless if your home never makes it into it.

What drives the price

Estate planning costs in California depend on four things:

  • Who prepares it. Attorneys charge by the hour. LDAs charge a flat fee. DIY platforms charge a small fee and leave the work to you.
  • What's included. A "trust" by itself isn't an estate plan. You need at minimum a trust, a pour-over will, a healthcare directive, a financial power of attorney, and a property transfer deed.
  • Whether the deed is recorded. If the deed transferring your home into the trust isn't recorded with the county, the trust is essentially empty.
  • Complexity. Blended families, business interests, or estates above the federal exemption threshold typically need an attorney's tax planning.

What a typical Placer County estate attorney charges

Estate attorneys in the Roseville / Rocklin / Granite Bay area generally charge between $3,000 and $8,000 for a complete trust package, with most quotes landing in the $4,000–$6,000 range. That fee usually does — and sometimes doesn't — include the property deed and county recording. Always ask.

What a Legal Document Assistant charges

A registered LDA prepares the same legal documents at your direction. We can't give legal advice (an attorney can), but for the vast majority of families with straightforward situations, legal advice isn't what's missing — the documents are. Our $1,995 flat fee covers everything an average California homeowner needs.

What should be included for $1,995

  • Revocable living trust (individual or joint for married couples)
  • Pour-over will
  • Advance healthcare directive
  • Financial power of attorney
  • Property transfer deed
  • Recording the deed with the Placer County Recorder
  • One-on-one planning appointment
  • Notary at signing (mobile notary available)

Where to be careful

Watch for trust packages priced below $1,000 — they almost always exclude the deed recording, which is the single most important step. Watch for packages priced above $5,000 if your situation is straightforward — you're often paying for an attorney's overhead, not for better documents.

A trust without a recorded deed is just a stack of paper. The deed is what actually keeps your home out of probate.

What about the absolute cheapest options?

You can buy "trust" templates online for $79 to $400. They usually produce a valid-looking document. The problem is everything around it — funding the trust, recording the deed, naming the right trustees, getting the property description correct. The cost of a probate caused by a mistake in a $79 trust will be in the tens of thousands of dollars.