An irrevocable trust in Georgia costs between $3,000 and $8,000 or more depending on the type of trust and how complex your situation is. At The Hive Law, an irrevocable trust is a flat fee of $5,500 — that includes drafting the trust, the signing process, and first funding guidance so you know exactly which assets to transfer and how. There is no hourly billing.
A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) costs $6,500 at The Hive Law — slightly more because of the additional Medicaid planning strategy, asset review, and funding guidance that Medicaid-specific drafting requires. Most Georgia attorneys charge between $300 and $500 per hour for this type of work. At 10 to 20 hours, the total can reach $3,000 to $10,000 with no way to know the final number before you commit.
The sections below break down what affects the cost, which type of irrevocable trust matches which situation, and how to decide whether the upfront cost makes sense for what you are trying to do.
How Much Does an Irrevocable Trust Cost in Georgia?
Georgia attorneys charge between $3,000 and $8,000 or more for an irrevocable trust, depending on the trust type and complexity. Simple asset protection trusts on the lower end of that range can be straightforward documents. Complex trusts — special needs trusts with ongoing distribution standards, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs) with policy coordination, or Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts requiring detailed asset review — sit at the higher end.
Most of the cost is attorney fees. Filing fees and government recording fees are minimal. When two firms quote different prices, the difference is almost always in the time the attorney expects to spend drafting and the services included in the fee.
The Hive Law Flat Fee — $5,500
At The Hive Law, an irrevocable trust is $5,500 — one flat fee that covers drafting the trust document, the signing process, and the first funding guidance session. You leave the signing call knowing exactly which assets to transfer into the trust, what to tell your bank, and what the next steps are. There are no hourly billing surprises and no separate charges for calls or revisions.
This fee applies to standard irrevocable trusts: asset protection trusts, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), and similar structures. A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) is priced separately at $6,500 — see the MAPT section below for why.
Georgia Irrevocable Trust Cost Calculator
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Additional Georgia properties (besides your home)?
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$550 each — rentals, land, cabins.
Properties outside Georgia? (number of states)
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$1,100 per state — we coordinate with local counsel.
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$1,250 each — includes operating agreement update.
Irrevocable Trust $5,500
Additional Georgia Deeds
Out-of-State Coordination
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Your Estimated Total $5,500
County recording fees are extra. We confirm your exact quote in your Design Meeting with our Attorney.
Four factors drive the cost up or down within that $3,000–$8,000+ range.
Type of Trust
Asset protection trusts and ILITs are typically on the lower end of the range. The drafting is more straightforward and the asset coordination is simpler. Special needs trusts and Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts sit higher because they require coordination with government benefit rules, detailed asset eligibility reviews, and drafting that has to hold up against a Medicaid application or benefits determination.
Number of Beneficiaries and Trustees
An irrevocable trust with one beneficiary and one trustee is simpler to draft than one with multiple beneficiaries, contingent beneficiaries, successor trustees, and distribution standards that vary by beneficiary. More parties means more pages and more review time.
Real Estate Transfers
If your home or another Georgia property needs to be transferred into the trust, a quitclaim deed is prepared as part of the engagement. Government recording fees apply when the deed is filed at the county level. If you own property in multiple states, each state requires a separate deed prepared under that state’s law.
Ongoing Administration Costs
An irrevocable trust is not a one-time cost. Once funded, the trust is a separate legal entity. That means a separate EIN from the IRS and an annual Form 1041 federal income tax return — separate from your personal return. CPA fees for Form 1041 preparation typically run $300 to $800 per year. A revocable trust does not have these requirements while you are alive because the IRS treats its assets as your own.
$5,500Flat Fee at The Hive Law
$3,000–$8,000+Georgia Attorney Fee Range
5 YearsMedicaid Lookback Period
The Process
How to Get an Irrevocable Trust in Georgia
1
Schedule a Free Strategy Call
The first call is a free 30-minute conversation with Melissa. She reviews your situation — assets, family structure, and the specific problem you are trying to solve. At the end of the call, you know which type of irrevocable trust applies to your situation and what the exact flat fee covers. There is no charge for this call.
2
Identify the Right Trust Type and Goals
Melissa reviews your full asset picture and the goal driving the trust — Medicaid protection, creditor protection, a disabled beneficiary, or life insurance planning. If a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust is the right tool, the review includes a full asset eligibility analysis. This step determines the exact structure before any drafting begins.
3
Review and Sign Your Documents
Melissa drafts the irrevocable trust and any supporting documents, including deed preparation if real estate is being transferred in. When the documents are ready, she walks through each one with you on a call in plain language. You understand exactly what the trust does and what you are giving up before you sign.
4
Sign Before a Notary
Irrevocable trust documents must be signed and notarized to be valid under Georgia law. The Hive Law coordinates the notarization process. For most clients, this is handled through a mobile notary or a local notary of your choosing.
5
Fund the Trust — Transfer Assets In
An irrevocable trust only protects the assets inside it. The funding guidance session walks you through which assets to transfer, how to retitle accounts, what to tell your bank, and how to confirm the deed has been recorded if real estate is involved. For a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, the 5-year lookback clock does not start until this step is complete. Most clients complete initial funding within 2 to 4 weeks of signing.
Not Sure Which Trust You Need?
Find Out Where You Stand
The right trust type depends on your specific goal — Medicaid protection, creditor protection, a disabled beneficiary, or life insurance planning. Melissa identifies the right structure for your situation and gives you an exact fee on the first call.
Melissa Breyer is a Georgia estate planning attorney who works exclusively on trust-based estate planning and LLC formation. She personally designs every plan at The Hive Law and handles every client consultation herself. Every plan is built from scratch for your specific family, your specific assets, and your specific wishes.
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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 The Hive Law 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 The Hive Law!
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We highly recommend Hive Law. They were extremely helpful and professional in guiding us through the process of creating a Revocable Living Trust. Melissa and Shawn were thorough, answered all our questions, and made a potentially confusing process easy to understand.
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I used The Hive Law to help me create a trust for my family. The process was straightforward and Melissa and Shawn made sure I understood each step. They were responsive to all of my questions. I feel much more confident about my family's future now. Highly recommend!
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Working with Shawn and Melissa at The Hive Law has been a great experience. They are very knowledgeable and took the time to explain all of our options. They made the process of setting up a trust simple and stress-free. I would highly recommend them to anyone needing estate planning.
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The Hive Law Firm, and specifically Melissa, has been wonderful to work with during our estate planning process. She is knowledgeable, patient, and thorough. She answered all of our questions and made the process easy to understand. I highly recommend The Hive Law!
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Shawn and Melissa were amazing to work with! My partner and I recently bought a house and wanted to get important things like wills, healthcare directives, etc. set up. They were incredible at answering all our questions and working with us to make sure we felt confident in all of the legal aspects. Having tried to do this online before with one of the DIY tools, it was just an amazing experience to get to talk through what we wanted with a knowledgeable human and have them take care of the details.
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Hive Law was awesome to work with! Melissa and Shawn explained everything, kept things stress-free, and were always quick to respond to my questions. They made the whole process simple and smooth from start to finish. Highly recommend if you want a team that's knowledgeable but also easy to work with.
Ryan RollinsGoogle Review
I lost my father in February of this year without any estate planning in place. The process of dealing with the probate court has been overwhelming and expensive. After this experience, I contacted The Hive Law to set up a trust so my children never have to go through what I've been through. Melissa and Shawn were compassionate, knowledgeable, and made the entire process simple. I highly recommend The Hive Law!
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I used to know the bare minimum about probate and trust. I first encountered Shawn Breyer on Facebook. He was offering a webinar that I watched. That gave me a better understanding of probate versus trust. I was impressed enough to have him and his wife represent me. I had my initial one on one interview with Melissa Breyer, it went smoothly and she made everything clear. We are now proceeding with getting a revocable trust in place.
Jer UdvadiaGoogle Review
The Hive Law has been amazing throughout the process of setting up our trust. Every detail is considered and no stone is left unturned. They have been easy and enjoyable to work with. I would absolutely recommend them! Don't let your estate be turned over to Probate!!
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Frequently Asked Questions
An irrevocable trust in Georgia costs between $3,000 and $8,000 or more depending on the type and complexity. At The Hive Law, the flat fee is $5,500 for a standard irrevocable trust — which includes drafting, the signing process, and first funding guidance. A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust costs $6,500 due to the additional Medicaid planning work required.
A revocable trust can be changed or canceled at any time while you are alive. You keep full control of the assets, and the IRS treats them as your own. This makes a revocable trust useful for avoiding probate but not for protecting assets from Medicaid spend-down or creditors. An irrevocable trust transfers the assets out of your legal ownership permanently. You cannot take them back. That permanence is what makes the assets unreachable by Medicaid, creditors, or estate taxes.
Generally no. An irrevocable trust cannot be modified, amended, or revoked after signing without the consent of all beneficiaries and, in some cases, court approval. This is not a mistake in the drafting — it is the legal requirement that makes the trust work for asset protection, Medicaid planning, and estate tax purposes. If flexibility is a priority, a revocable trust is the right tool.
The most common assets transferred into an irrevocable trust are real estate (transferred by deed), savings accounts, brokerage accounts, and second properties. Retirement accounts such as IRAs and 401(k)s generally cannot be transferred without triggering a taxable distribution. Life insurance policies can be transferred into an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT). The strategy call with Melissa identifies which of your specific assets can be transferred and which should remain outside the trust.
Yes. An irrevocable trust is a separate taxpayer. It needs its own Employer Identification Number (EIN) and files an annual Form 1041 federal income tax return separate from your personal return. Trust income that is not distributed to beneficiaries is taxed at trust tax rates. Georgia has no state estate tax. The federal estate tax threshold is approximately $13.6 million (2024). CPA fees for Form 1041 preparation typically run $300 to $800 per year.
The trustee controls the irrevocable trust — not the person who created it. You name a trustee when the trust is drafted. In most irrevocable trusts, you cannot serve as your own trustee because that would mean you still control the assets, which undermines the legal protection the trust is designed to provide. The trustee can be a family member, a trusted friend, or in complex situations, a professional trustee.
Most clients complete the strategy review, document signing, and initial funding in 3 to 5 weeks from the first call. The drafting phase typically takes 1 to 2 weeks after the strategy review. Signing is scheduled once documents are approved. Funding takes an additional 2 to 4 weeks depending on asset types. For a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, the 5-year lookback clock does not start until funding is complete.
It depends on what problem you are trying to solve. If you want to avoid probate and keep control of your assets while you are alive, a revocable trust is the right tool. If you are concerned about nursing home costs, protecting assets from creditors, providing for a disabled beneficiary without disrupting benefits, or removing life insurance from your taxable estate, an irrevocable trust addresses those goals. Many families need both. The free strategy call identifies which applies to your situation.
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