Putting your affairs in order in Plano?
A solid estate plan decides who inherits, who makes decisions if you can't, and whether your family avoids a slow probate. Most Plano estate-planning work is done for a flat fee, so you can compare prices directly. Below are the Plano-area firms that show up most consistently across independent rating services for wills, trusts, and probate.
Plano estate-planning lawyers usually quote a flat fee for a defined package. A basic will-based plan — will, powers of attorney, and a medical directive — commonly runs $500 to $1,800. A revocable living trust package typically runs $2,000 to $4,500 or more, depending on whether you own a business, rental property, or out-of-state real estate. Texas has a relatively efficient probate process through independent administration, so not everyone needs a trust — a good lawyer will tell you when a will is enough.
The right firm depends on complexity. A young family with a house and kids needs different work than a business owner with a blended family or estate-tax exposure. Ask what's included, whether trust funding is part of the fee, and what future updates cost.
How we picked these firms: We cross-referenced Super Lawyers, Avvo, Justia and Expertise.com, then looked for peer recognition, published results, and consistent client review patterns. A firm had to appear across at least two independent sources to make the list. We do not accept payment for placement and we do not write sponsored reviews. Where a firm's size or founding year isn't publicly confirmed, we leave it out rather than guess. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, probate, special needs planning
Founder Tresi Weeks earned her law degree from Baylor and has served as president of the Collin County Bar Association. The firm helps families with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, medical directives, and special-needs planning.
Practice focus: Estate planning, business planning, probate
John F. Williams, Jr. is an estate and business-planning attorney and a CPA, with offices in Plano, McKinney, and Dallas at 5700 W. Plano Parkway. Clients note thorough, careful work — a fit when tax and business issues intersect with the estate plan.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, elder law, guardianship
Founder Christene Krupa Downs holds a J.D. from Texas Wesleyan and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Collin County and Dallas bars. The firm drafts wills and trusts and handles probate, guardianship, and elder-law matters.
Practice focus: Estate planning, trusts, tax
Founder and managing member — an attorney, CPA, and Certified Fraud Examiner who teaches estate planning as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas — brings a tax-forward approach to wills, trusts, and estate plans.
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate
A Plano firm offering estate-planning packages — wills, trusts, and powers of attorney — along with elder-law guidance and probate, a practical option for individuals and families.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, trust administration
A Plano estate-planning and probate practice listed across Super Lawyers and Justia for the area, handling wills, trusts, and estate administration.
Practice focus: Estate planning, probate, business
A North Texas firm handling estate planning and probate alongside business matters, appearing on independent directories for the Plano area.
Practice focus: Wills, trusts, estate planning
A Plano estate-planning practice focused on protecting clients' legacies through wills, trusts, and related documents, listed on area attorney directories.
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Request Free Consultation →A complete plan usually includes a will, a durable financial power of attorney, a medical power of attorney with a directive to physicians (living will), and — for many families — a revocable living trust. The will names guardians for minor children and directs who inherits. The powers of attorney name who acts for you if you're incapacitated. A funded living trust lets your estate pass without Texas probate, which can save time and keep details private.
Texas probate is more efficient than many states thanks to independent administration, which lets an executor settle the estate with limited court supervision when the will is set up correctly. That means not everyone in Texas needs a trust — a well-drafted will is enough for many families. A good estate-planning lawyer will tell you honestly when a will suffices and when a trust earns its higher fee.
Most Plano firms quote flat fees. A basic will-based package generally runs $500 to $1,800. A revocable living trust package usually runs $2,000 to $4,500 or more, depending on complexity — a business, rental properties, blended family, special-needs beneficiary, or out-of-state real estate pushes it higher. Ask whether trust funding (retitling your assets into the trust) is included, because an unfunded trust does nothing. Probate administration after a death is typically billed hourly or as a percentage of the estate.
Match the firm to your situation. A young family mostly needs clear, affordable documents and named guardians — a flat-fee will package fits. If you own a business, have a blended family, have a child with special needs, or expect estate-tax exposure, choose a firm with tax, business, or special-needs depth. Ask what's included, what updates cost, who you'll meet with, and how the firm handles trust funding. A plan you understand and keep current beats a thicker binder you never revisit.
Estate planning is mostly flat-fee, so use the consultation to compare what's actually in the package. Ask: What exactly is included — will, powers of attorney, medical directive, trust? Is trust funding part of the fee or extra? Who drafts the documents, and who reviews them with me? What will it cost to update the plan in a few years? Do you handle the probate or trust administration later, and how is that billed? How do you store the originals? A clear, written scope and a fixed price are good signs; vague answers about funding or updates are not.
The most common estate-planning mistakes are simple. People set up a trust and never fund it, so it does nothing. They name an out-of-date executor or beneficiary — an ex-spouse on a life-insurance form overrides your will. They forget that retirement accounts and payable-on-death accounts pass by beneficiary designation, not by the will, so those must be coordinated. And they treat the plan as one-and-done; a plan that fit you ten years and two kids ago may not fit now. Build the plan, fund it, keep the beneficiary designations consistent, and revisit it after any major life change.
Many Texans are well served by a will because Texas independent administration makes probate relatively efficient. A funded living trust still helps if you want privacy, own out-of-state property, or want to avoid probate entirely. A Plano estate lawyer can tell you which fits.
A basic will-based package commonly runs $500 to $1,800 flat. A revocable living trust package usually runs $2,000 to $4,500 or more depending on complexity.
It's a Texas probate process that lets an executor settle the estate with limited court supervision, which keeps probate faster and cheaper — if the will is drafted to allow it.
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Funding means retitling assets into the trust so it works. Always ask, because an unfunded trust provides no benefit.
Review it after a major life change — marriage, divorce, a new child, a death, a big purchase, or a move to another state — and otherwise every three to five years.
Many Plano estate-planning firms offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Confirm when you call.
No. Texas has no state estate or inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax applies, and it affects estates above the high federal exemption, so most families won't owe it.
Your estate passes under the Texas Estates Code intestacy rules, which split it among your spouse and relatives in a fixed order — often awkwardly for blended families and rarely exactly what you'd have chosen.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read recent reviews, then talk to two or three firms before you decide. Ask each how many cases like yours they have handled in the last three years — the answer tells you a lot. — The LawFirmSquare team