Quick answer: a basic Montana revocable living trust commonly runs $1,000 to $3,000 with an attorney. Compare that against your estimated probate cost in the Montana probate vs living trust calculator.
Typical Montana trust setup costs
| Path | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Online / DIY service | Under $1,000 |
| Attorney-drafted revocable trust | $1,000 – $3,000 |
| More complex trust (multiple properties, blended family) | $3,000+ |
Ranges from Montana-specific attorney and estate-planning sources; treat as market context, not a quote. Get a written fee agreement before hiring.
What the fee doesn't buy
An attorney's fee here covers drafting and, ideally, funding guidance — it doesn't buy protection from a surviving spouse's elective share claim. Since Montana's 2023 augmented-estate expansion, a revocable trust's assets are pulled into that calculation the same as if they'd passed by will, no matter how the trust is written.
A cheaper option for a single piece of real estate
If the main goal is keeping a house or ranch parcel out of probate, a transfer-on-death deed, recorded during life for a modest fee, often accomplishes that alone — without the broader cost of drafting and funding a full trust.
Why the cheapest trust option carries real risk
DIY templates cost less upfront, but a trust that's invalid or never properly funded leaves a family facing the exact Montana probate process it was meant to avoid. See Montana Living Trust Funding Mistakes for the most common way this goes wrong.
A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.