How Much Does Estate Planning Cost for a Real Estate Investor in Georgia?
Estate planning for a Georgia real estate investor costs $3,500–$6,000 depending on how many LLCs and properties you own. A will-based plan costs less but creates a probate problem — not a solution. This page breaks down exactly what a complete investor plan includes and what drives the cost.
Estate planning for a Georgia real estate investor costs $3,500–$6,000 depending on portfolio size, number of LLCs, and whether you hold out-of-state properties. A single-property investor with one LLC pays closer to $3,500. A multi-property portfolio with multiple LLCs runs $6,000 or more.
Most competitors charge $1,500–$2,500 for a will-based plan and call it estate planning. For a real estate investor, a will alone creates a probate problem — not a solution. Every property deed and every LLC membership interest must either transfer through a trust or go through the Georgia probate court, which averages 18 to 30 months and costs $27,300 or more per estate.
This page explains what a complete investor estate plan includes, what drives the cost up, and what to ask before you hire anyone.
Why Estate Planning Costs More for Real Estate Investors
Standard estate planning handles personal assets — bank accounts, retirement funds, a primary home. Real estate investors have a different set of problems that standard plans are not designed to solve.
Your LLC membership interests do not transfer automatically when you die. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-503, if your membership interest is not held in a trust, your heir receives only assignee rights — the right to receive distributions but no authority to manage, sign leases, or make decisions. The LLC is effectively frozen until a Georgia probate court appoints an administrator.
Each property deed must be reviewed and retitled. A revocable trust does not automatically capture property deeded in your personal name. Each deed must be retitled into the trust separately, and out-of-state properties require a separate ancillary probate proceeding in that state if not properly titled before you die.
Your LLC operating agreement must authorize trust ownership. Most operating agreements drafted by a registered agent service or completed online do not include succession provisions. Without an update, the trust may own the membership interest on paper while the operating agreement still requires individual-member consent for any action.
What the Base Package Includes — and What It Costs
For a Georgia real estate investor with one LLC and one to three rental properties, a complete estate plan at Atlanta Estate Planning costs $3,500–$4,500.
The base package includes five personal documents:
Revocable living trust — holds LLC interests and any directly titled property, avoids probate at death and at incapacity
Pour-over will — captures anything not titled in the trust at death
Durable power of attorney — includes specific authority to manage LLC accounts, sign leases, and handle rental income during incapacity
Healthcare directive — medical decisions if you cannot speak for yourself
HIPAA authorization — allows family to communicate with your medical providers
The base package also includes three investor-specific components:
LLC operating agreement review — confirms trust ownership is permitted and succession provisions are present; drafts an amendment if needed
Deed transfer for one Georgia property — retitles the deed from your personal name into the trust
Trust funding coordination — confirms LLC interests and financial accounts are transferred correctly after signing
Estimate Your Cost
Use the calculator below to build your estimate based on your portfolio.
What type of estate plan are you looking for?
Distributes assets through probate. Does not avoid court for your rental properties or LLC membership interests. Recommended only when trust planning is not appropriate.
Keeps your rental properties and LLC interests out of probate entirely. You control everything during your lifetime. Successor trustee steps in immediately at death or incapacity.
Removes assets from your taxable estate. Appropriate when your total estate exceeds $13,990,000 (2025 federal exemption). Separate engagement from revocable trust planning.
Additional LLC OA Reviews$1,250 each
Count each LLC beyond the first. Each operating agreement needs to be reviewed and amended to authorize trust ownership and include succession provisions.
0
Additional Georgia Deed Transfers$550 each
Count each Georgia property beyond the first that needs a deed transferred into the trust. Properties held inside an LLC do not need a separate deed transfer.
0
Out-of-State Properties$1,100 per state
Count the number of states where you own real estate outside Georgia. A Florida rental and a Tennessee rental = 2 states. Properties held inside a Georgia LLC typically do not require ancillary filings.
0
Revocable Trust Package$3,500
LLC OA Reviews
Deed Transfers
Out-of-State
Your Estimated Total $3,500
County recording fees not included. Out-of-state deed retitling fees (charged by local counsel) are separate. Your exact quote is confirmed with Melissa.
What Adds to the Cost
Additional properties. Each Georgia deed transfer adds $550 in legal fees plus county recording fees. An investor with four properties should budget $1,650 in additional deed work on top of the base package cost.
Multiple LLCs. Each LLC operating agreement that needs review and amendment adds $1,250 per entity. An investor with four LLCs — one per property — should budget $3,750 in operating agreement work alone.
Out-of-state properties. Retitling an out-of-state deed into the trust requires working with local counsel in that state. Atlanta Estate Planning handles the Georgia side — out-of-state retitling carries separate fees at $1,100 per state from local attorneys.
What Happens Without a Plan — and What That Costs
The average Georgia probate for a real estate investor’s estate costs $27,300 or more in attorney fees and takes 18 to 30 months. That figure does not include lost rental income during probate, deferred maintenance that cannot be authorized until an administrator is appointed, or the forced sale discount that typically applies when a property must be liquidated under court supervision.
An investor with three rental properties and no estate plan creates three separate probate proceedings — one for each LLC membership interest or directly titled deed. Each is independent. Each has its own timeline, its own attorney fees, and its own court costs.
The $3,500–$6,000 cost of a complete investor estate plan is not an expense. It is the documented cost of avoiding a problem with a documented price tag attached to it.
How to Know What You Need
1
Count your LLCs
One LLC with one to three properties: base package ($3,500–$4,500). Two to four LLCs: add $1,250 per LLC for operating agreement review and amendment. Five or more LLCs: request a custom quote.
2
Count your deeds
Properties titled in your personal name or directly in an LLC each require a separate deed transfer into the trust. Each Georgia deed transfer adds $550 in legal fees plus county recording fees.
3
Check for out-of-state properties
Any property outside Georgia requires coordination with local counsel in that state for retitling. Atlanta Estate Planning handles the Georgia trust documents — plan for $1,100 per state in separate fees from out-of-state attorneys.
4
Check your total estate value
If your total estate exceeds $13,990,000 (2025 federal exemption), irrevocable trust planning is an additional separate engagement and typically adds $3,000–$10,000 or more.
What to Ask Before You Hire Anyone
Does the quote include LLC operating agreement review? Many firms price the trust and OA review as separate engagements. You need both done together — a trust that owns an LLC membership interest in a non-updated operating agreement creates the same probate problem you were trying to avoid.
Does the quote include deed transfers? Some firms complete the trust documents and leave retitling to you. Retitling is where most investor plans break down — it is not a DIY task when LLC interests and multiple properties are involved.
Has the attorney worked with multi-property LLCs before? Ask how many investor plans they complete per year and whether they have worked specifically with Georgia LLCs holding rental properties.
What happens when you buy another property? A complete investor plan should include a clear process for adding new acquisitions — whether that means a new deed transfer service or an annual review built into the engagement.
$3,500Base investor estate plan at Atlanta Estate Planning
How It Works
1
Schedule Your Free Call
Book your 60-minute free strategy call with Melissa. Credited toward your estate plan.
2
Meet With Melissa
Melissa reviews your assets, your family situation, and your exposure. Virtual or in-person.
3
Get Your Plan
Receive a written plan with clear recommendations for protecting your family and your assets.
4
Move Forward
No pressure, no commitment required. Move forward when you are ready.
Melissa Breyer
Georgia Estate Planning Attorney
Melissa Breyer is a Georgia-licensed estate planning attorney focused exclusively on trust-based planning for individuals and families. She personally meets with every client and designs every plan from scratch. No templates. No associates handling your case. Every plan is built for your specific family, your specific assets, and your specific wishes.
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What Our Clients Say
The whole process of creating a family trust felt simple, clear, and stress-free. We really appreciated how patient, helpful, and easy to communicate with the team was throughout everything. Shawn and Melissa gave us great guidance and helped us feel confident every step of the way. We're grateful for their support and would definitely recommend them.
Allen WakefieldGoogle Review
After my father passed away, my mother had to rely on my father's employer to navigate the estate. It was a disaster. After this experience, I knew I needed a plan. I turned to Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys to set up a trust. I no longer have to worry about my wife and children going through a difficult process if something happens to me. I highly recommend Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys!
NicholasGoogle Review
My biggest fear was that if I died first, my wife would have no idea how to navigate the estate and legal system. I reached out to Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys and they put my mind at ease immediately. Their process is easy to follow and they took care of everything. Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys is the best decision I've made for my family's future.
Tristen PursleyGoogle Review
Working with Melissa Breyer to set up our Living Trust was one of the best decisions Scott and I have made. We did this so our boys are protected from confusion and chaos if something happens to us. Melissa was knowledgeable, patient, and made what felt overwhelming completely manageable. I would absolutely recommend Melissa Breyer.
Sharon PalmerGoogle Review
Working with Shawn and Melissa at Atlanta Estate Planning Attorneys has been an excellent experience. They asked great questions during our initial call and clearly explained what we needed. We feel confident we're in good hands and would highly recommend them.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Atlanta Estate Planning charges $3,500–$6,000 for a complete estate plan for a Georgia real estate investor. The base package — one LLC, one to three Georgia properties — starts at $3,500. Additional LLCs add $1,250 each. Additional Georgia deed transfers add $550 each. Out-of-state properties add $1,100 per state for local counsel coordination.
A standard estate plan handles personal assets. A real estate investor plan must also capture LLC membership interests, retitle property deeds into the trust, and update LLC operating agreements to authorize trust ownership. Without all three steps, the LLC membership interest still goes through Georgia probate — 18 to 30 months, $27,300 or more in attorney fees — even if you have a trust.
Yes for deed transfers. A Georgia deed transfer requires a legally executed deed, a PT-61 form filed with the GSCCCA, and recording at the county courthouse. Errors in the deed — legal description mismatch, improper execution — can void the transfer. Atlanta Estate Planning handles deed preparation, PT-61 filing, and recording for $550 per property.
When you die, your LLC membership interest becomes a Georgia probate asset. Your family cannot sell the property, access equity, or make management decisions without court approval. Probate takes 18 to 30 months and costs $27,300 or more in attorney fees for a real estate investor’s estate. An LLC without a trust above it does not avoid this problem.
Atlanta Estate Planning handles the Georgia trust documents and Georgia deed transfers. For properties outside Georgia, we coordinate with local counsel in each state. Out-of-state deed retitling fees — charged by local attorneys at each state’s market rate — are separate from the Atlanta Estate Planning engagement fee. We charge $1,100 per state for the coordination work on our end.
No. A will distributes property through probate — including a separate ancillary probate proceeding in every other state where you own real property. For a real estate investor, a will creates the exact problem a trust solves. Every property deed and LLC membership interest must transfer through a trust to avoid probate. A will cannot accomplish this.
