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A basic revocable living trust in Illinois costs roughly $3,680–$5,520 when drafted by an attorney, based on the typical 10-15 hours of attorney work at $368 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025. Online services offer trust packages for $300–$700, though they generally don't include attorney advice or review of your specific situation. See the Illinois trust cost calculator for a detailed breakdown.
Even if you create a revocable trust in Illinois, you generally still need a will — most commonly a "pour-over" will that captures any assets you forgot to retitle into the trust. Illinois also allows transfer-on-death deeds for real estate, which can move property out of probate without a trust. Whether a trust adds enough value over a will-only plan depends on your situation: real property, blended families, and out-of-state assets are the most common reasons. The trust-or-will tool walks through the decision.
Estate planning attorneys in Illinois average $334 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 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.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
83 firms
One of the oldest law firms in east-central Illinois, serving families in Vermilion County since 1904 with estate planning, wills, trusts, and probate administration.
Location
220 N. Vermilion StreetDanville, IL 61832
Phone
(217) 442-0350
Established
1904
Service Area
1 county
One of the largest and most established law firms in Kane County, with over 35 years advising clients on estate planning, asset protection, and tax matters. Offices in South Elgin and Huntley serving the greater Fox Valley and Chicago suburban area.
Location
2000 McDonald Road, Suite 200South Elgin, IL 60177
Phone
(847) 695-2400
Established
1986
Service Area
6 counties
The longest-running law firm in Taylorville, established in 1928, providing estate planning, probate, and elder law services to Christian County and surrounding central Illinois communities.
Location
221 West Main Cross StreetTaylorville, IL 62568
Phone
(217) 824-3341
Established
1928
Service Area
3 counties
Park Ridge firm with over 40 years of experience in estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, and trust/estate litigation including disputes over undue influence, fraud, and fiduciary matters.
Location
15 N. Northwest HighwayPark Ridge, IL 60068
Phone
(847) 823-9030
Service Area
1 county
Serving Kankakee County continuously since 1978, with over 95 years of collective legal expertise in estate planning and probate.
Location
700 N. River DriveKankakee, IL 60901
Phone
(815) 939-1133
Service Area
2 counties
Mount Vernon law firm established in 1990 with eight attorneys providing estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, and corporate law services to Jefferson County and surrounding southern Illinois.
Location
108 South Ninth StreetMount Vernon, IL 62864
Phone
(618) 242-3310
Established
1990
Service Area
5 counties
Carbondale firm serving Jackson County and the southern Illinois region since 1949. Handles probate and estate settlement — filing probate paperwork, resolving the decedent’s debts, distributing assets under the will, and guiding executors through the process — alongside testamentary trusts for minor beneficiaries.
Location
100 N Illinois AveCarbondale, IL 62901
Phone
(618) 457-0437
Established
1949
Peoria-based law firm providing estate planning and probate services to families in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Fulton, Marshall, and Stark counties.
Location
330 NE Perry AvePeoria, IL 61603
Phone
(309) 685-7900
Service Area
6 counties
Estate planning law firm with 35 years of experience serving Winnebago, Boone, DeKalb, Stephenson, and McHenry counties.
Location
2969 Rolling Meadow CtBelvidere, IL 61008
Phone
(708) 667-6868
Service Area
5 counties
Serving Decatur and the Macon County area since 1976 with estate planning, probate, guardianship, and real estate services.
Location
225 S. Main Street, Suite 100Decatur, IL 62523
Phone
(217) 615-4772
Established
1976
Service Area
2 counties