What Is Included in the Will Package
Atlanta Estate Planning’s will package includes three documents, not just one. A will by itself does not cover the period before your death, when you might be alive but unable to make decisions for yourself. These three documents work together to close that gap.
Last Will and Testament. Names who receives your property, names a guardian for any minor children, and names an executor to handle probate. Without a valid will, Georgia’s intestacy law, O.C.G.A. § 53-2-1, decides who inherits, and that split may not match what you actually want. See the full Last Will and Testament service page for what goes into this document.
Financial Power of Attorney. Lets someone you choose manage your money and property if you become unable to. Without one, your family has to petition a Georgia probate court for guardianship, a process that costs several thousand dollars and takes months.
Advance Healthcare Directive. Tells doctors what medical treatment you do and do not want, and names someone to make healthcare decisions if you cannot speak for yourself. Georgia hospitals are required to follow it.
| Plan |
Price |
Includes |
| Individual |
$1,800 flat fee |
Will, financial power of attorney, healthcare directive |
| Couple |
$2,200 flat fee |
All three documents for both spouses |
Both prices include a review session with Melissa and unlimited revisions before you sign. There is no hourly billing and no separate charge for any of the three documents.
Will vs. Revocable Trust: Which One Do You Need
A will and a revocable trust solve different problems. Figuring out which one you actually need is usually the real question behind “how much does a will cost.” For a side-by-side comparison, see will vs. trust in Georgia.
A will goes through Georgia probate court. A revocable trust does not.
Every asset that passes under a will must go through Georgia probate first. For most Georgia families, probate costs $3,000 to $15,000 and takes 4 to 18 months. A revocable trust skips that process entirely for anything titled in its name.
A will is usually enough when:
- Your total estate is worth less than $100,000
- You do not own real estate in your own name
- Your main goal right now is naming a guardian for minor children
- You plan to build a full trust plan within the next year or two
A trust is usually the better fit when:
- You own a home or any real property in Georgia
- You have savings, investment, or retirement accounts
- You want your family to avoid probate and its cost
- You want the transfer of assets to stay private and happen right away
A complete revocable trust package at Atlanta Estate Planning costs $3,500 and includes the trust, a pour-over will, a deed transfer, a financial power of attorney, and a healthcare directive. For most Georgia homeowners, the trust pays for itself by avoiding a single probate case. See how much a revocable living trust costs in Georgia for the full breakdown.
What a Will Cannot Do
Most people assume a will does more than it actually does. Here is what it does not cover.
A will does not avoid probate.
This is the most common misunderstanding. A will is a set of instructions a Georgia probate court has to approve before anyone can act on them. The court process, and its cost and timeline, applies no matter how detailed the will is.
A will does not control assets with a named beneficiary.
Some accounts pass outside the will completely if they name a beneficiary. This includes life insurance, 401(k)s, IRAs, and any account with a transfer-on-death designation. If that designation is outdated or contradicts the will, the designation wins every time.
A will does not cover incapacity.
A will only takes effect after you die. If illness, injury, or memory loss leaves you unable to make decisions before that, your will gives no one the authority to manage your money or your medical care. That is what the power of attorney and healthcare directive are for.
A will does not keep anything private.
Everything filed in Georgia probate court becomes a public record. Anyone can search the asset list, the account values, and the names of who inherits what.
If you already have a will and just need to update part of it, a full rewrite usually is not necessary. See how to amend a will in Georgia with a codicil.
What a Will Costs to Use Later: Probate
The $1,800 or $2,200 you pay today is not the last cost tied to a will. A will has to be probated after you die, and that bill falls on your family, not you.
Georgia probate typically costs $3,000 to $15,000 in court and attorney fees. It takes 4 to 18 months to close, according to Atlanta Estate Planning’s own cost of probate in Georgia breakdown. The exact number depends on the size of the estate, whether anyone contests it, and how many types of assets are involved.
- Cost. $3,000 to $15,000 in court and attorney fees comes out of the estate before your family receives anything.
- Timeline. 4 to 18 months is how long the court process typically takes to close.
- Control. Heirs cannot sell property, distribute funds, or access accounts until the court closes the case.
A revocable trust removes this step entirely for anything titled in the trust’s name. That is why families with a home or several accounts often choose a trust over a standalone will.
What Other Georgia Attorneys Charge
Georgia attorneys generally price a will one of two ways.
Hourly billing. Most Georgia estate planning attorneys bill $250 to $450 an hour. A standard will package, the will plus a power of attorney and healthcare directive, takes 2 to 4 billable hours. That puts the total between $500 and $1,800, with the meter still running if you have questions or need changes.
Flat fee. Some Georgia attorneys charge a flat fee instead. A basic will alone typically runs $500 to $1,500, with the power of attorney and healthcare directive billed separately, often $200 to $400 each. Atlanta Estate Planning’s $1,800 individual package includes all three documents in one flat fee, with no hourly billing and no add-on charges.
DIY or online services. Online will services sell a template will for under $150. These services do not confirm your will meets Georgia’s signing and witness requirements. And they will not tell you what a will cannot do for your specific situation, like the incapacity gap or the assets that pass outside it entirely.
For a full overview of estate planning in Georgia, see estate planning in Georgia.
