How Much Does It Cost to Make a Will? Attorney, Online, or Prepaid Legal Plan Compared
Key Takeaways
- Attorney-drafted wills typically run $300-$600 for a simple individual estate and $1,000-$2,500 for a couple with children or multiple properties.
- Online DIY will services are cheaper upfront ($100-$500) but carry real risk - an error or omission can invalidate the document entirely.
- A prepaid legal plan sits between these two options: real attorney involvement through a provider law firm, included as a standard membership benefit rather than billed separately.
Cost is one of the most commonly cited reasons people delay getting a will done, and the honest answer is that it depends heavily on which path is used. As covered in the Make-A-Will Month guide, understanding these three paths clearly is the fastest way to stop putting this off.
Option 1: A Traditional Attorney
A simple will through an attorney for a single individual with few assets typically costs $300-$600. For a couple with minor children or multiple properties, that range moves to roughly $1,000-$2,500, and more complex estates - multiple properties, business interests, blended families - can run $5,000 or more. The advantage here is direct, personalized attention from an attorney who can address complexity a template can’t, at a cost that reflects that complexity.
Option 2: Online DIY Services
Online will services generally run $100-$500, using a guided questionnaire to generate a state-compliant document without direct attorney involvement. The upfront savings are real, but so is the risk: an error or omission in a self-drafted document can invalidate all or part of it, and that failure is typically discovered only after death, when it’s too late to fix - exactly the moment a will exists to prevent complications, not create new ones.
Option 3: A Prepaid Legal Plan
Will preparation is included as a standard benefit on most personal-tier prepaid legal plans, generally in the $30-$60/month range for the overall membership - meaning the will itself doesn’t generate a separate bill on top of the monthly cost. This option combines real attorney involvement, through an assigned provider law firm, with the cost structure of a flat membership rather than a one-time attorney bill. For anyone who wants attorney-level involvement without the attorney-level upfront price tag, this is the middle path between the other two options.
Which Option Actually Makes Sense
The right choice depends on complexity and what’s already being paid for elsewhere. A very simple estate with no dependents might be well-served by a careful online service. A complex estate with business interests or a blended family likely benefits from a dedicated attorney’s full attention. And anyone who already has - or is considering - a prepaid legal plan for other reasons gets will preparation essentially bundled in, which is often the most cost-efficient path when the underlying membership is already worth it for its other benefits. See current LegalShield plans and pricing to compare what’s included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an online will actually legally valid? Generally yes, if completed correctly and properly executed according to state requirements (witnesses, notarization where required) - the risk is in errors or omissions during completion, not the format itself.
Does a prepaid legal plan’s will benefit cover updates later? Higher tiers commonly include annual will updates - worth confirming at the specific tier level since this varies by plan.
Is the cheapest option always the DIY option? Not necessarily once ongoing costs are considered - a prepaid legal plan’s monthly fee often works out comparable to or less than a one-time attorney fee over a year, while including attorney involvement DIY services don’t offer.