How much does an estate planning attorney cost in Illinois?

Estate planning attorneys in Illinois average $334 per hour for wills and estates work, based on the Clio Legal Trends Report 2025. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,002–$2,004 for a simple individual will and $3,680–$5,520 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents.

Estate Administration Attorneys in Illinois

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Hiring an Estate Administration Attorney in Illinois

Estate administration in Illinois typically runs 6–9 months for simple estates and 14–24 months for complex ones. The minimum timeline is largely set by the creditor claim period (6 months), during which the executor can't safely distribute assets. Living trusts bypass this entirely because they don't go through probate. The Illinois estate settlement plan walks through the steps.

Illinois allows executors "reasonable compensation" — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay. Executors can also waive their fee entirely or accept a reduced amount. When the executor is a family member who is also a beneficiary, waiving the fee is common because beneficiary distributions aren't taxed as income while executor fees are. See the Illinois executor fee calculator.

Estate planning attorneys in Illinois average $334 per hour for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,002–$2,004 for a simple individual will and $3,680–$5,520 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.

Illinois has a generous small-estate threshold of $150,000. Estates under that line can use the Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case — most families can handle it without an attorney. For estates above the threshold, formal probate generally benefits from counsel because of the procedural overhead, even when nothing is contested. The Illinois probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.

In Illinois, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; estates near or above the Illinois estate tax threshold; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.

Estate Administration Attorneys in Illinois

Estate administration in Illinois typically takes 6 months–9 months for straightforward estates. The executor (called the personal representative in some states) is responsible for filing the will, inventorying assets, paying creditors, and distributing what's left. Illinois allows executors "reasonable compensation" — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules pay.

Illinois attorneys average $334 an hour for wills and estates work. A basic will from an attorney runs $1,002–$2,004; online services cost $30–$300.

Illinois imposes its own estate tax separate from the federal one, kicking in well below the federal exemption. Estates near the state threshold benefit from real planning — not because every family needs it, but because the line is lower than people expect.

Worth knowing: estates under $150,000 can use Illinois's simplified affidavit instead of formal probate. If your situation is straightforward and the estate fits, you may not need an attorney at all.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated September 8, 2026

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Data sourced from Illinois statutes and official state code. How we research.

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