Should You Get a Trust or a Will in Arizona?
In Arizona, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 2.2%A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee.
In Arizona, a will-based plan pays probate attorney fees of typically 2.2%A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; a funded revocable trust keeps those assets out of probate and off that fee. The trust also distributes assets faster than the 4 months to 6 months probate timeline a simple estate takes.
Probate in Arizona runs about $27,670A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source on a $500,000 estate in combined attorney, executor, and court fees. A revocable trust has a one-time setup cost and no probate fees. See a detailed breakdown with the Arizona probate calculator.
No. A will must go through probate in Arizona. A small estate may qualify for a simplified route: In Arizona, estates with personal property of $200,000A.R.S. § 14-3971Verified Sep 8, 2026View source or less skip probate with the Collection of Personal Property by AffidavitA.R.S. § 14-3971Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, 30 daysA.R.S. § 14-3971Verified Sep 8, 2026View source after death. The Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit is presented directly to the bank, employer, or other holder of the property — it is not filed with a court.
Simple estates in Arizona typically take 4 months to 6 months through probate; average estates 6 months to 9 months, and contested estates longer. A funded revocable trust avoids probate entirely; distributions follow the trustee's administration rather than a court timeline.
Yes. A will becomes a public court record once it enters probate in Arizona: the will, the inventory, the beneficiaries and the distributions. A revocable trust is a private document that does not go through probate, so the terms, beneficiaries, and asset details remain confidential.
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New Home
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Marriage
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Learn moreForms for Planning Your Estate in Arizona
Free forms for planning your estate in Arizona: a will, living trust, pour-over will, both powers of attorney, living will, and TOD deed.
Last Will and Testament
In Arizona, a will is signed before 2A.R.S. § 14-2502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses, and a self-proving affidavit signed with it lets the court admit it without witness testimonyA.R.S. § 14-2502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Pour-Over Will
In Arizona, a pour-over will is signed before 2A.R.S. § 14-2502Verified Oct 18, 2026View source witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.
Revocable Living Trust
Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
Arizona allows a choice for a healthcare power of attorney: 1ARS § 36-3224Verified Oct 15, 2026View source witness or a notary.
Financial Power of Attorney
Arizona requires explicit durability language for a power of attorney to survive incapacityA.R.S. § 14-5501 through § 14-5506; A.R.S. §§ 14-13109, 14-13110 (RUFADAA)Verified Sep 18, 2026View source, and it is signed before 1A.R.S. § 14-5501 through § 14-5506; A.R.S. §§ 14-13109, 14-13110 (RUFADAA)Verified Sep 18, 2026View source witness and a notary.
Transfer on Death Deed
In Arizona, a beneficiary deed is signed before a notaryA.R.S. 33-405Verified Oct 18, 2026View source, then recorded with the county before the owner's deathA.R.S. 33-405Verified Oct 18, 2026View source.
Vehicle Transfer on Death
Name a beneficiary to inherit your vehicle at death without probate. Available in 26 states and the District of Columbia.
Living Will
In Arizona, the living will is the Living WillAriz. Rev. Stat. title 36, ch. 32, art. 5 (§§ 36-3261, 36-3262); general provisions art. 1 (§§ 36-3201 to 36-3211)Verified Sep 27, 2026View source, a document of its own, apart from the healthcare power of attorney.
Tools for Planning Your Estate in Arizona
Free tools for planning your estate in Arizona: what a will or trust costs, whether you need a trust or TOD deed, and how documents are signed.
How Do I Sign Estate Documents?
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Will My Estate Documents Transfer?
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How Much Does a Revocable Living Trust Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable living trust in Arizona runs $3,760Estimate: 10 hours at $376, Clio's Arizona Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,640Estimate: 15 hours at $376, Clio's Arizona Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source for an individual, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
How Much Does a Will Cost?
An attorney-prepared will in Arizona runs $1,173Estimate: 3 hours at $391, Clio's Arizona Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,346Estimate: 6 hours at $391, Clio's Arizona Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $299 up front with an online service, and probate on a $500,000 estate adds about $27,670A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source.
How Does SimplyTrust Compare to LegalZoom, Trust & Will, and Other Services?
Compare what it costs to make a trust official across SimplyTrust, LegalZoom, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Quicken WillMaker.
How Do I Name a Guardian for My Minor Children?
In Arizona, a parent names a guardian for a minor child in a willA.R.S. §§ 14-5202, 14-5203, 14-5204(B), 14-5410(A)(6)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, and the nomination covers the child until the age of majority, 18A.R.S. § 1-215(19)Verified Sep 15, 2026View source.
Do I Need a Revocable Trust?
Probate in Arizona takes 4 months to 6 months for a simple estate and charges attorney fees of typically 2.2%A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.5%A.R.S. §§ 14-3719, 14-3721 (reasonable compensation; court review of reasonableness)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source of the estate; assets held in a revocable trust skip both.
What Does Estate Planning Actually Cost?
An attorney-prepared revocable trust in Arizona runs $3,760Estimate: 10 hours at $376, Clio's Arizona Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $5,640Estimate: 15 hours at $376, Clio's Arizona Trusts rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source and a simple will $1,173Estimate: 3 hours at $391, Clio's Arizona Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source to $2,346Estimate: 6 hours at $391, Clio's Arizona Wills and Estates rate; Compare Lawyer Rates, 2025 dataVerified Oct 15, 2026View source, against $0 to $549 up front plus a subscription with an online service.
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Arizona Estate Planning Resources
In-depth guides covering Arizona probate laws, trust requirements, and estate planning strategies.