The cost of creating a revocable trust outweighs the potential costs of the probate process and other costs that one may incur if a revocable trust is not in place. In Massachusetts, the probate period spans for at least one year, allowing such time for creditors to make their claims against an estate. Probate costs are case specific, but usually include attorney’s fees, personal representative’s fees, accountant’s fees, etc., which add up over the course of a year (or longer) and can range from 1-5% of the value of the estate. Although you may be paying more money upfront for the creation and funding of a revocable trust, you will save more money in the long run if your revocable trust affords you the ability avoid a long probate process. Additionally, trusts are private and the probate process is not. The probate process requires providing notice to all interested parties (those named in the will and those that would be entitled to inherit). The trust is private and is rarely filed with the court and only the beneficiaries have a right to certain information about the trust. The privacy of the trust, reduces claims by remote beneficiaries.