How Much Does Estate Planning Cost for a Real Estate Investor in Georgia?

Estate planning for a Georgia real estate investor starts with one flat-fee base package. Your total depends on how many rental properties you own, how many LLCs you have, and whether you hold out-of-state properties. Each of those is a flat-fee add-on.

By Melissa Breyer, Esq. June 17, 2026 Updated September 30, 2026 8 min read

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Estate planning for a Georgia real estate investor starts at $3,500. That is The Finished Trust, our complete trust package. Flat add-ons cover the rest. Where you land depends on three things: how many properties you own, how many LLCs you have, and whether any of your rentals are outside Georgia.

Most competitors charge $1,500 to $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 in the complex cases we’ve handled has taken about 25 months and cost $29,700.

A complete investor estate plan includes specific documents and structures, certain factors drive the cost up, and there are questions worth asking before you hire anyone.

Why Estate Planning Costs More for Real Estate Investors

Standard estate planning handles personal assets, such as bank accounts, retirement funds, and 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. If your membership interest is not held in a trust, it goes through probate. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-506, the executor of a one-owner LLC becomes a member unless they turn it down in writing within 90 days of the death. But no one can manage that LLC, sign leases, or make decisions until a Georgia probate court appoints that executor or an administrator. If the LLC has other owners, they keep running it, and your executor gets your share of the profits but no vote, unless the operating agreement says otherwise.

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.

A real estate investor estate plan does three things a standard plan does not: it captures LLC interests, retitles property deeds, and coordinates the trust with every operating agreement.

What the Base Package Includes — and What It Costs

For a Georgia real estate investor, a complete estate plan starts at $3,500. That is the base package. It covers your plan and your home. Each rental property and each LLC is a flat-fee add-on on top of it.

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 and directs it into the trust through probate
Durable power of attorney, includes specific authority to manage LLC accounts, sign leases, and handle rental income during your 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 two more things:

The deed for your home, moves your home into the trust
Trust funding coordination, checks what is in the trust after signing and gives you the exact fix for anything that is not

Rental properties and LLCs are not part of the base package. Each one is a flat-fee add-on, listed below.

Estimate Your Cost

Use the pricing calculator to build your estimate based on your portfolio. Start with the base package and add what applies to your situation.

What type of estate plan are you looking for?

Keeps your estate out of probate courts entirely. Your rental properties and LLC interests transfer to your beneficiaries without court involvement. You control your assets during your lifetime.

What else do you need?

Additional LLC OA Reviews
$1,250 each

Count each LLC beyond the first. Each one needs its operating agreement reviewed and amended to authorize trust ownership and include succession provisions.

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.

Out-of-State Properties
$1,100 per state

Count the number of states (not properties) where you own real estate outside Georgia. Local counsel in each state handles the deed retitling at a separate fee.

Revocable Trust Package
$3,500

Your Estimated Total
$3,500

The Georgia state recording fee is already included in these prices. Out-of-state deed retitling fees (charged by local counsel) are not included. You get your full price in writing before any work starts.

Find Out Where You Stand

What Adds to the Cost

Each of the following increases the total beyond the base package.

Additional properties. Each Georgia rental property adds $550, with the county recording fee included. An investor with four rental properties pays that fee four times, on top of the base package.

LLCs. Each LLC adds $1,250. That covers moving the LLC into your trust and updating its operating agreement. An investor with four LLCs (one per property) pays that fee four times.

Out-of-state properties. A rental property outside Georgia must either be titled in your Georgia trust (permitted in most states) or handled through an ancillary probate proceeding at death. Retitling an out-of-state deed into the trust requires working with local counsel in that state. The Hive Law handles the Georgia side. Out-of-state retitling carries separate fees from local attorneys.

Estate tax planning. If your total estate exceeds $15,000,000 per person (2026 federal exemption), a revocable trust alone does not remove assets from your taxable estate. Irrevocable trust structures (SLAT, GRAT, or IDGT) are a separate engagement and typically add $3,000 to $10,000 or more depending on complexity.

What Happens Without a Plan — and What That Costs

Complex probate is the kind an estate with rental properties and LLCs often faces. The complex probate cases we’ve handled have cost families $29,700 and taken about 25 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.

$29,700 in the complex cases we’ve handled, before any lost rent.

A complete investor estate plan starts at $3,500, plus a flat fee for each rental property and each LLC. That 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

Count your LLCs

Start with the base package ($3,500). Add $1,250 for each LLC. That covers moving it into your trust and updating its operating agreement. More than three LLCs: request a custom quote.

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, with the county recording fee included.

Check for out-of-state properties

Any property outside Georgia requires coordination with local counsel in that state for retitling. The Hive Law handles the Georgia trust documents. Plan for separate fees from out-of-state attorneys.

Check your total estate value

If your total estate (real estate equity, retirement accounts, and other assets combined) exceeds $15,000,000 per person (2026 federal exemption), irrevocable trust planning is an additional separate engagement.

What to Ask Before You Hire Anyone

Four questions to ask any estate planning attorney before hiring them for a real estate investor plan:

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. Ask specifically whether they have worked with Georgia LLCs holding rental properties, not just personal real estate.

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.

For a full overview of what a complete investor plan covers, see Estate Planning for Your Real Estate Portfolio.

$3,500 Base Package

25 Months Avg. Probate Time, Complex Estate

$29,700 Probate Cost, Complex Estate, in the Cases We've Handled

How It Works

A 15-Minute Call With Shawn

Tell us what is going on with your family. Shawn walks you through your options and what each one costs. Free.

The Design Meeting With Shawn and Melissa

In a 60-minute meeting, Shawn and Melissa review your assets, your family, and your goals together and design your plan. This meeting is credited toward your plan if you move forward.

Review Every Document With Melissa

Before you sign, Melissa walks through every document with you in plain language. No legal jargon. No confusion about what you are signing.

Sign at Home

You sign at home, in front of a notary and witnesses you line up. Your signing instructions tell you who needs to be there. After you sign, you get a written checklist of what to do next.

Melissa Breyer

Georgia Estate Planning Attorney

Melissa Breyer is a Georgia estate planning attorney who works exclusively on trust-based estate planning and LLC formation. She personally designs and drafts every plan at The Hive Law after the initial call. Every plan is built from scratch for your specific family, your specific assets, and your specific wishes.

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!

Nicholas Google 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 The Hive Law and they put my mind at ease immediately. Their process is easy to follow and they took care of everything. The Hive Law is the best decision I've made for my family's future.

Tristen Pursley Google Review

Working with Melissa Breyer to set up our Living Trust was a wonderful experience. She and her entire team were knowledgeable, professional, and made the whole process easy to understand. I highly recommend The Hive Law for all your estate planning needs!

Sharon Palmer Google Review

We highly recommend Hive Law. They were extremely patient and responsive, answering our many rounds of questions regarding trusts and estate planning. Shawn consistently responded the same day we sent our questions, even while his family was on vacation, which we greatly appreciated. Shawn was also always available to discuss matters by phone whenever we needed additional clarification on the options we were considering. Both are very knowledgeable in estate planning, and we would confidently recommend Hive Law to friends and family.

Daryl Clever Google Review

The Hive Law made the entire estate planning and trust process easy to understand and stress-free. Melissa and Shawn walked us through every step and answered all of our questions. We feel confident that our family is protected. Highly recommend!

The Schmitty Family Google Review

My mom chose The Hive firm to help with estate planning and developing a trust to protect her assets. I sat in on her meeting with Melissa, and Melissa did a great job of simplifying complex legalese into easily understood concepts. Shawn was very quick to get us our documents and all steps in the process were clear and easy. They make a great team and we are thankful for their help!

Ed Udvadia Google Review

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!

Nate Tabler Google Review

Working with Shawn and Melissa at The Hive Law has been an excellent experience. They were one of three firms we contacted, but she made the strongest impression during our initial call. They asked great questions to understand our situation and clearly explained what we needed to put in place. We initially had some reservations about their fully virtual approach, but those concerns were quickly put to rest. After the first two calls, it was clear how easy they are to work with and how well connected we felt. Communication has been clear, organized, and reassuring throughout the process. Shawn and Melissa are professional, approachable, and thorough. We feel confident we're in good hands and highly recommend The Hive Law for estate planning.

Kyle Haynie Google Review

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!

Teresa Overstreet Google Review

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.

Denali Pray Google Review

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 Rollins Google 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!

Rachel Shannon Google Review

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 Udvadia Google 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!!

Christy Evans Google Review

The Hive Law helped us set up a revocable trust. Their webinar is great for answering any questions you may have, to clarify and avoid probate. Get in touch with them right away, you won't be disappointed.

Keith Wiseman Google Review

Melissa was great! She gave me an honest review of my future plans that I already have in place. Turns out, I already had my ducks in a row!!! She was a pleasure to talk with!!

Pat Paine Google Review

For several years now I have been thinking about having a will drawn up, but continued to procrastinate until an older sibling had a medical situation occur which none of the family was prepared for. This was the determining factor for me to get it done. We never know when an emergency medical situation could arise and I didn't want my other siblings to be scrambling around trying to figure things out in the event I couldn't make any decisions for myself, or God forbid I pass away. My attorney (Melissa), was very funny and made the whole experience quite entertaining. She listened to what I wanted and explained the type of plan I needed. Thanks Melissa & Shawn for making the process an enjoyable experience.

Rena Solomon Google Review

The Hive Law Firm did an excellent job helping my mother-in-law with her estate plan. The process felt overwhelming at first, but their team walked us through every step with compassion and professionalism. They listened to our concerns, explained things in simple terms, and made sure our mother's wishes were honored. We're very grateful for their guidance.

Reneida Williams Google Review

The Hive Law firm did an outstanding job helping my family members with their estate planning. They made the process clear, smooth and stress free. Truly professional and caring team, highly recommend!

Nakia Ellison Google Review

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.