What Does Estate Planning Cost in New York?

Major life events like marriage, divorce, or having a child often require updating your estate plan. Some providers require purchasing an entirely new plan, while others offer amendments. Attorney amendments in New York typically cost $1,700 to $3,400 for major changes.

Online services have lower upfront costs ($30-$600) compared to attorneys in New York (around $425/hour for trusts). However, total lifetime cost depends on subscription fees, amendment charges, and how often life events require updates. This calculator compares the full cost across providers.

Many online estate planning services charge annual subscription fees ranging from $0 to $240/year. These subscriptions may include document access, minor amendments, or attorney consultations depending on the provider and tier.

Trusts cost more upfront than wills but can save money long-term by avoiding probate. In New York, an attorney-prepared trust typically costs $4,250 to $6,375, while a will costs $1,344 to $2,688. Wills require probate, which adds about $37,867 in costs for heirs on a $500,000 estate. See a detailed breakdown with the New York trust cost calculator.

Probate on a $500,000 estate in New York costs about $37,867 — roughly 8% of estate value — including attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and publication costs.SCPA § 2307 (executor commissions, progressive: 5% first $100K / 4% next $200K / 3% next $700K / 2.5% next $4M / 2% over $5M), SCPA § 2110 (attorney compensation fixed by the court; no statutory percentage), SCPA § 2402(7) (graduated court petition fees: <$10K=$45, <$20K=$75, <$50K=$215, <$100K=$280, <$250K=$420, <$500K=$625, ≥$500K=$1,250), SCPA § 1301 (voluntary administration; $50K personal-property cap exclusive of the EPTL 5-3.1(a) set-off; no CPI adjustment; raised from $30K by Ch. 557, L. 2019 [S4951A], signed 2019-11-25), SCPA § 1302 (article inapplicable to real property, but ownership of real property does not prevent its use for personal property), SCPA § 1304 (no waiting period; affidavit + certified death certificate; $1 clerk fee; no bond), SCPA §§ 710/801/805 (bond), SCPA § 1408 (judicial probate — no informal/registrar track), SCPA § 1802 (7-month creditor claim period running from issue of letters; no publication trigger — Article 18 of the current SCPA begins at § 1802), 22 NYCRR § 207.20 (fiduciary/attorney self-reported Inventory of Assets — no court-appointed appraiser). Verified 2026-07-14 against live nysenate.gov and nycourts.gov primary sources.Verified Jul 14, 2026 Estates with a trust can bypass probate entirely, potentially saving heirs thousands of dollars. Estimate probate fees with the New York probate calculator.