Estate Planning
Revocable
Living Trusts
Stay in control of what you've built today — and spare your family the cost, delay, and exposure of probate tomorrow.
- Includes a pour-over will
- Funding guidance
- Deeds prepared if needed
- No fee until you're ready to sign
Thank you — your request is in.
The firm will reach out, usually within one business day.
Want to pick a time now? Book on the calendar →
The foundation
The central document in a plan that actually works.
A revocable living trust holds and manages your assets during your lifetime and distributes them after death. Properly drafted and properly funded, it avoids probate, preserves privacy, and keeps your affairs moving without interruption if you ever become incapacitated.
For most clients it's the hub of a broader plan — working alongside a pour-over will, powers of attorney, and the transfer documents that make it all hold together. We serve Monroe, St. Clair, Madison, and surrounding Illinois counties, plus St. Louis, Jefferson, St. Charles, and surrounding Missouri counties, with virtual appointments available.
Why clients choose a trust
Four reasons it's worth doing right
Avoid probate
Assets properly titled in the trust generally pass outside probate in Illinois and Missouri.
Plan for incapacity
Your successor trustee can step in and manage trust assets if you're ever unable to act for yourself.
Keep matters private
Trust administration stays out of the public probate court record — your affairs remain your family's business.
Reduce family burden
Clear authority and coordinated assets make settling your estate far easier on the people you leave behind.
The comparison that matters
A funded trust vs. probate
With a funded living trust
- Trust assets pass outside probate
- Private — nothing filed on the public record
- A successor trustee can act immediately
- Built-in plan for incapacity during life
- Typically faster and less costly to settle
A will and probate
- Court-supervised process, often 6+ months
- Public record — anyone can see the filing
- Court must appoint and authorize the executor
- No mechanism for managing assets if incapacitated
- Court fees, publication, and potential bond costs
What's included
A coordinated plan — not standalone documents.
Every living trust plan is built to work as one system, with funding handled as part of the engagement.
- Core documentsA revocable living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, and related documents structured to work together.
- Funding guidanceDirection on trust funding, deed conveyances, and tangible property assignments so the plan is actually implemented.
- Real estate transfersDeeds transferring real estate into the trust when appropriate, including coordination for property in multiple states.
How it works
A clear path from first call to signing
- 1
Consultation
We talk through your family, your assets, your goals — and whether a living trust is genuinely the right fit.
- 2
Drafting
We prepare your trust and supporting documents as one coordinated estate plan, not a stack of forms.
- 3
Review
You read the drafts, ask questions, and request revisions until the plan reflects exactly what you intend.
- 4
Signing & funding
We supervise execution and guide implementation — including deeds and property assignments where needed.
White-glove funding assistance and asset strategizing are available for an additional fee.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a living trust and a will?
A will directs who receives your probate assets after death, but it generally does not avoid probate. A properly funded revocable living trust holds assets during your life and distributes them after death without court-supervised probate for those trust-owned assets.
Does a revocable living trust avoid probate?
It can — but only for assets actually transferred into the trust or otherwise coordinated with the plan. Signing the trust alone isn't enough; proper funding is what makes it work.
Do I stay in control of my assets?
Yes. With a typical revocable living trust you remain fully in control during your lifetime and may amend or revoke the trust at any time while you have capacity.
Do you help fund the trust?
Yes. We provide funding guidance and assist with deed conveyances and tangible property assignments. White-glove trust funding and asset strategizing are available as add-on services.
How much does a living trust cost?
It depends on the complexity of your family, assets, and goals — we discuss scope and pricing during the consultation. For a fuller breakdown, see what a revocable living trust costs in Illinois.
How do I know if I even need a trust?
Net worth is the wrong measure — what matters is whether you own real estate, are approaching the $4 million Illinois estate tax line, or have a situation a will can't handle (a blended family, a business, a beneficiary with special needs). See at what net worth you actually need a trust in Illinois.
Fees
Fees, stated plainly
Trust planning at A.H.Steinmetz, Ltd. is flat-fee work. The fee is quoted at your consultation and agreed to in writing before any work begins — no hourly billing, no open-ended invoices.
For most families, a core trust-based plan — the revocable living trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, and the deed moving your home into the trust — is a flat fee in the low-to-mid four figures. Advanced planning features, white-glove trust funding, and Illinois estate tax structuring are scoped and priced separately when your situation calls for them.
For perspective: the firm's minimum fee for a probate administration is $6,000 — before court costs, publication, and bond — and Illinois probate runs a statutory minimum of six months before an estate can close. A properly funded revocable trust is designed to avoid that process for the assets it holds.
The exact fee for your plan depends on the complexity of your family, your assets, and your goals. Confirming that scope — and the number — is what the free consultation is for.
No payment is required until your documents are ready for signature.
Read the full breakdown of what a revocable living trust costs in Illinois →
Find out whether a living trust fits your family
A free 15-minute call to talk through your situation and what, if anything, to put in place.
Thank you — your request is in.
The firm will reach out, usually within one business day.
Want to pick a time now? Book on the calendar →