Avoid probate court with a living trust

Secure your loved ones’ future with the trusted choice of over 2.1 million estate planning customers. Keep your assets with your family and out of probate court. Trust estate plans start at $399
phone

Have questions? Call (866) 679-1568 for a free discovery call.

Learn more about our guarantee
Why create a living trust?
Living trusts are a way to distribute your assets and provide for your beneficiaries while keeping loved ones out of probate court. Since trusts don’t need to be filed in probate court, they offer more privacy. Revocable living trusts allow you to change your terms if you change your mind.
stopsign
Keep family out of probate court
Spare your loved ones from the expenses and delays that may result from the probate process. Avoid multistate probate if you own real estate in another state.
shield lock
Protect your privacy
Keep your personal matters—and assets—private with a trust. Probate court records are public records, which means that anyone can access your will.
savings jar
Avoid bank delays
Help ensure your assets are accessible to your loved ones with less interruption after your death. With a living trust, a trustee can typically access assets and handle affairs more quickly than with a will.

Living trusts at an affordable price

Basic Trust

$399

Includes:

Living trust

Pour-over will

Healthcare directive

Financial power of attorney

HIPAA authorization

Certificate of trust

Schedule of assets

Bill of transfer

30 days of free revisions

Printing & shipping of one set of documents

Premium Trust

$549

Everything in a Basic Trust, plus:

Attorney review of your documents

Unlimited 30 min calls with an attorney for 1 year*

Attorney advice for your family

1 year of free revisions

phone

Have questions? Call (866) 679-1568 for a free discovery call.

If an attorney from our network advises you to set up a last will instead of a living trust or vice versa, please call us to change your order. See LZ Guarantee for exact terms.

How to set up a living trust
one

Answer a series of questions

Choose someone to settle your affairs, decide what you want to leave to loved ones or charities, and name a guardian for your minor children. We'll use your answers to create your living trust.

two

Review with an attorney or on your own

Your living trust will be viewable in your account. Simply print and complete using our instructions or do a final review with an attorney over the phone.


three

Fund your living trust

Use our funding guide to start transferring the ownership of your assets from yourself to your trust. Once it's signed, you'll transfer ownership of your assets into the trust but still remain in complete control of your property.


See examples of 
.
A family playing together. Mom, a blonde woman wearing an olive green button up shirt is smiling watching grandpa, a older man with grey hair and a grey beard smiling as he gives his granddaughter a ride on his shoulders. The little girl is wearing a light pink shirt with her hair in a ponytail. The family is happy that they will be able to avoid probate with a living trust from LegalZoom.
Why use LegalZoom to set up your living trust?
thumbs up
Easy & convenient
Create your living trust estate plan simply by answering some questions from the comfort of home. No trips to lawyers' offices needed.
badge
Attorney-supported
Access guidance from highly rated, vetted attorneys from our network, who can help you create the trust you want.
note
Accepted in all 50 states
Enjoy peace of mind knowing our living trusts were created by experienced attorneys, and have been accepted in all 50 states.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between a last will & testament and living trust?

A last will is quicker and easier to set up, but it needs to go through the court probate process after your death. Probate court can be time consuming and expensive, depending on your state.

A living trust allows your loved ones to avoid the potential hassle of probate court. But trusts require you to change the title to most of your assets, which means more paperwork and ongoing maintenance.

What is probate?

Probate is the legal process through which the court oversees how an estate and assets will be distributed. While there are many benefits to having oversight of the process by the probate court, it can be time consuming and expensive depending on your state.

If you create a last will, your assets will be distributed to your named beneficiaries as part of the probate process. If you create a trust, your assets will be distributed to your beneficiaries without going through the probate process.

In many states, probate may not be required if the estate is of minimal value.

Can I transfer property into and out of the trust while I'm alive?

Yes. If you have an individual living trust, you can transfer assets and property, including real estate, whenever you like. Likely, you’ll be your own trustee while you’re still alive. After your death, it will transfer to your successor trustee, appointed by you. Joint trusts require your co-trustor's consent for co-owned property.

What is a revocable trust?

A revocable living trust can be changed by the person(s) that created the trust. You can change a revocable living trust by amending it or revoking it. An irrevocable living trust, on the other hand, cannot be amended or revoked.

Do I still need a will if I have a living trust?

Yes, you should have a last will for property that may not have been transferred to your trust. Our living trust includes a pour-over will to help ensure that all of your assets are distributed to your beneficiaries. The will lets you name guardians for your minor children.

Will a living trust remain legal if I move to another state?

Yes, a living trust is valid in all 50 states, no matter where it's created and signed. You should consider talking to a living trust attorney licensed in the new state to make sure it’s up to date. If you buy real estate or acquire assets in your new state, be sure to transfer it into your living trust.One way to make changes to a last will, without revoking it entirely, is to make a codicil, which is an amendment to a last will. A codicil to a last will must be signed and witnessed in the same way as the original last will. If you ever want to amend your last will, you need to follow the same signing requirements each time or else your last will may not reflect your current wishes and could be more subject to dispute.

Do I need a lawyer to prepare my living trust?

No, it’s not legally required for a living trust attorney to prepare your trust. That said, every person has different needs and you may want to ask an attorney for help, especially if your estate is large or complicated or you have a child with special needs. Some of our living trust packages include attorney advice—unlimited 30-minute calls on new legal matters.

What our customers are saying
quote

The explanation about the [pros and cons] of having a living trust instead of a will was great and made the process simple.


— Ryan S., living trust customer

five stars
quote

I'm stunned at the precision and ... quality of the end product ... There's a reason why they're No. 1...


— Teddy F., living trust customer

five stars
quote

The process was fast, easy, and met my needs. The final product I received in the mail was spectacular! It exceeded my expectations!


— Barbara F., living trust customer

five stars
Questions?
Ask an attorney

Get the right guidance

with an attorney by your side.

Call an agent at

(877) 818-8787

Mon.–Fri. 5 a.m.–7 p.m. PT
Sat.–Sun. 7 a.m.–4 p.m. PT
Get legal help
#1 choice for online estate plans: Based on a February 2021 survey of consumers who used an online legal service for setting up an estate plan.
#1 brand for online estate plans: Based on responses to a February 2021 survey asking consumers about brand awareness for online legal services for estate planning. The survey was completed by consumers that had previously done estate planning or intended to do estate planning.
* Telephone consultations with a participating firm, during normal business hours, of up to one half (1/2) hour each, limited to one consultation for each new legal matter. Excludes business-related matters. Limit one Legal Assist Plan per estate plan. Benefits to the Legal Assist Plan continue automatically for $199 per year. You can cancel online or by calling. Attorney services are fulfilled through Legal Advantage Plus. For full details, see the Legal Plan Contract and Subscription Terms.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT: Attorneys advertised on this site are independent attorneys. in your area who's responsible for this advertisement. LegalZoom.com, Inc. is not an "attorney referral service" or a law firm. The information you provide to LegalZoom is not protected by attorney-client privilege. about this advertisement if you live in Alabama, Missouri, or New York.