Will and Power of Attorney Cost: What a Full Package Runs

How much does a will and power of attorney cost together?

A will and power of attorney package drafted by an attorney runs a national median of $1,000, with the middle 50% of firms pricing it between $750 and $1,500. DIY platforms charge $149 to $299 for an individual plan. These figures come from a 2026 study of 909 law firms that tracked pricing across all 50 states.

Bundling saves money compared to buying documents individually. A standalone will carries a median price of $625, and a standalone power of attorney runs about $300. If you purchased those two documents separately, you'd pay roughly $925 before even adding a healthcare directive. The package exists because an attorney can draft all three documents in a single engagement, reusing information about your family structure, assets, and wishes.

Here's the practical detail that matters most: 94% of estate planning firms charge a flat fee rather than billing hourly. That means the price you're quoted is the price you pay. No surprises, no clock-ticking anxiety. An NCOA overview of estate planning costs confirms that flat fees are now the dominant billing model for standard documents.

This isn't a purchase you make out of fear. It's a planning decision. Couples who sit down together and decide how finances, healthcare decisions, and guardianship should be handled are building alignment now, not scrambling later.

What does a complete estate planning package include?

A standard will-based estate planning package includes four documents: a last will and testament, a financial (durable) power of attorney, a healthcare power of attorney or proxy, and an advance directive (sometimes called a living will). Together, these cover what happens to your assets, who steps in to manage your finances, who makes medical decisions on your behalf, and what end-of-life care you want.

Here's what each document does in plain terms:

• Last will and testament. Directs who inherits your assets after you die. It also names an executor (the person who manages the process) and, if you have minor children, designates a guardian. Without a will, state intestacy laws dictate who gets what.
• Financial (durable) power of attorney. Authorizes a person you trust (your "agent") to handle bank accounts, pay bills, manage investments, and sign financial documents on your behalf if you become incapacitated. "Durable" means it stays valid even if you lose the ability to make decisions yourself.
• Healthcare power of attorney (healthcare proxy). Names someone to make medical decisions for you if you can't communicate your own wishes. This is separate from a living will.
• Advance directive (living will). Spells out your preferences for end-of-life medical treatment, including decisions about life support, resuscitation, and palliative care.

A will-based package is the foundation. It's appropriate for many couples and families, especially those with straightforward asset structures. A trust-based package adds a revocable living trust (and usually a pour-over will, which catches any assets not already in the trust). Trust packages are common when couples own real estate in multiple states, want to avoid probate, or need more control over how and when beneficiaries receive assets. The median cost for a trust-based attorney package is $2,700, with the middle 50% at $2,500 to $3,500.

Couples typically plan these documents together. Your will and your partner's will should coordinate on guardianship, executor roles, and how shared assets are handled. Your financial power of attorney agents and healthcare proxies should be discussed as a pair. This is exactly the kind of planning that reinforces partnership: you're deciding together how to handle the unexpected.

If you're also working on a prenuptial agreement, your estate plan should align with it. A prenup outlines how assets are treated during the marriage and if it ends; your estate plan outlines what happens if one of you passes away. They work in tandem.

Average cost of a will and power of attorney by document and package

The clearest way to compare costs is side by side. The table below uses national medians from a 2026 study of 909 law firms for attorney pricing, and published list prices for DIY platforms.

Attorney figures: [LegalTemplates 2026 study](https://legaltemplates.net/resources/estate-planning/cost-of-estate-planning/), 909 firms, 319 reporting on will-package pricing. DIY figures: published platform list prices as of mid-2026.

A few things jump out from the numbers. First, buying documents individually from an attorney ($625 for a will + $300 for a POA + $200 to $500 for a directive) adds up to roughly $1,125 to $1,425, which is at or above the top of the package range. The package discount is real.

Second, the gap between DIY and attorney pricing reflects a meaningful difference in service. An attorney reviews your specific situation, ensures each document complies with your state's execution requirements (witness and notary rules vary), and catches issues that a template can't anticipate, like a blended family's inheritance structure or a business owner's succession needs.

Third, these are national medians. Your actual cost depends on your state, the firm, and your complexity. A will in California carries a median cost of $450 to $1,200 for a simple document, while in Arkansas it might run $200 to $450.

What makes an estate plan cost more or less?

The biggest cost variable is the complexity of your situation, not your ZIP code. A straightforward plan for a couple with a single home and no business interests will sit near the lower end. Add layers of complexity, and the price moves up.

Here are the most common cost drivers:

• Blended families. Children from prior relationships often require more detailed distribution plans, potentially including testamentary trusts or conditional bequests.
• Business ownership. A business succession plan adds drafting time and may require coordination with business counsel. Sole proprietorships, LLCs, and S-corps each have different considerations.
• Real estate in multiple states. Owning property across state lines can trigger probate in each state (called "ancillary probate"). A revocable living trust can help avoid this, but it adds to the upfront cost.
• Minor children. Naming guardians is straightforward, but setting up a trust for minors' inheritance (rather than leaving assets outright to a child) adds complexity.
• Heirs with special needs. A special needs trust ($2,000 to $5,000 on its own) preserves a beneficiary's eligibility for Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income while still providing for them.
• Tax-strategy layers. Most families won't need this. The 2026 federal estate tax exemption is approximately $13.61 million per person, and proposed adjustments may push it to $15 million. Married couples can effectively double that amount through portability. Unless your combined estate exceeds these thresholds, advanced tax planning (irrevocable trusts, GRATs, charitable remainder trusts) adds cost without much benefit.

Flat fee vs. hourly billing

Flat fees dominate estate planning. The 2026 study found that 94% of surveyed firms use flat-fee pricing for standard documents. With a flat fee, you know exactly what you'll pay before you commit. Hourly billing (typically $200 to $500 per hour, depending on location and experience) is more common for complex or open-ended engagements. If your attorney charges hourly, ask for an estimate and a cap.

The bottom line: most couples with a home, retirement accounts, and kids will land in the $750 to $1,500 range for a will-based package. If you need a trust, budget $2,500 to $3,500.

How to choose between DIY platforms and working with an attorney

DIY platforms are the cheapest upfront option at $149 to $299, but an attorney ensures your documents are valid, properly witnessed, and tailored to your family's actual needs. The right choice depends on your situation's complexity, not just on price.

DIY works best for someone with a simple estate: single property, no business, no blended family, and a straightforward plan to leave everything to one person or split it among children. If that's you, an online platform can produce legally valid documents for a fraction of attorney fees.

But there are real risks. A will that isn't properly witnessed under your state's rules may be invalid. A power of attorney that uses boilerplate language might not cover the specific financial transactions your agent needs to handle. A trust that isn't funded (meaning you never actually transferred assets into it) controls nothing. These aren't hypothetical problems. They're the exact issues estate planning attorneys spend their time fixing.

An attorney also adds value through conversation. They'll ask questions you haven't considered: What happens if your named guardian can't serve? Do your beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance align with your will? Is your state a community property state, and does that change how assets pass?

How Neptune fits in

Neptune manages the full end-to-end process for couples and families navigating estate planning, pairing you with experienced attorneys (20+ years of practice) and certified financial planners who coordinate everything from start to finish. You're not searching for an attorney, vetting credentials, or figuring out which documents you need on your own. Neptune's approach means you and your partner can plan together with professional guidance, clear pricing, and a single point of coordination.

For couples who are also thinking about a lawyer-led prenup, Neptune can ensure your prenuptial agreement and estate plan work in harmony, so your financial life is aligned from the start.

Planning together doesn't mean going it alone. It means sitting down with your partner, having the real conversations about money and decisions, and getting expert support so the paperwork actually reflects what you've agreed on. That's what clarity looks like.