When Virginia families sit down to plan their estates, one of the first questions that comes up is: should I get a living trust or just a will? Both documents can direct where your assets go when you die. But they work very differently, carry different costs, and serve different purposes. Understanding those differences will help you make an informed choice — or confirm that you need both.

This article compares revocable living trusts and wills under Virginia law on the issues that matter most: probate avoidance, privacy, cost, control, and flexibility. It is general legal information, not advice for your specific situation. Please consult a licensed Virginia estate planning attorney before making decisions about your plan.

What Is a Will in Virginia?

A will (formally called a “last will and testament”) is a legal document that states how you want your probate assets distributed after your death. In Virginia, a valid will must meet the requirements of Virginia Code § 64.2-403: it must be in writing, signed by the testator (or by someone else in the testator’s presence and at their direction), and signed by at least two witnesses in the testator’s presence.

Your will also names an executor (called a “personal representative” in Virginia) to administer your estate, and can name a guardian for any minor children. A will only takes effect at death — it has no role while you are alive.

Importantly, a will must go through probate before your beneficiaries receive anything. Probate is the court-supervised process of validating the will, inventorying assets, paying debts, and distributing what remains. For a deeper look at how much this process can cost, see our overview of Virginia probate costs.

What Is a Revocable Living Trust in Virginia?

A revocable living trust is a legal arrangement in which you (the “grantor” or “settlor”) transfer ownership of your assets to a trust that you control as the trustee during your lifetime. You name a successor trustee to take over if you become incapacitated or when you die, and you name beneficiaries to receive the trust assets at your death.

Because the assets are technically owned by the trust — not by you individually — they do not go through probate when you die. The successor trustee distributes them according to the trust’s instructions, typically within weeks, without court involvement.

The trust is “revocable” because you retain the power to amend, revoke, or completely dissolve it at any time during your lifetime. This flexibility is one of its greatest advantages over irrevocable trusts.

Probate Avoidance: The Key Difference

This is where the two documents diverge most sharply.

A will does not avoid probate. Every asset controlled by your will must pass through the Virginia circuit court probate process. This means filing with the court, publishing notice to creditors, waiting for the claims period to pass, and eventually getting court approval to distribute assets. The process can take six months to a year or longer for straightforward estates, and longer for complex or contested ones.

A revocable living trust avoids probate entirely for any asset properly titled in the trust’s name. When you die, the successor trustee steps in and distributes assets according to the trust document — no court, no filing, no waiting period. For families who want to avoid delays, costs, and court involvement, this is the central appeal of a living trust.

However, a trust only avoids probate for assets that have been funded into it. If you create a trust but forget to retitle your bank accounts or real estate in the trust’s name, those assets will still go through probate. This is a common and costly mistake.

Privacy: Trust Wins

A will that goes through probate becomes part of the public court record. Anyone can look up what you owned, who you left it to, and what debts you had. In some localities, this information is readily searchable online.

A revocable living trust, on the other hand, is a private document. It never gets filed with a court (assuming all your assets are properly funded into the trust). Your beneficiaries, the amounts they receive, and your overall financial picture remain confidential.

For many Virginians — especially those with significant assets, blended families, or complex beneficiary arrangements — privacy is a compelling reason to choose a trust over a will alone.

Cost: It Depends on When You Count

Up-front costs generally favor a will. A basic will typically costs a few hundred dollars in attorney fees. A revocable living trust — particularly one drafted properly with all companion documents — typically costs more, sometimes significantly so, depending on complexity.

But the full cost picture reverses when you factor in what happens at death:

• A will triggers probate costs: Virginia’s probate tax ($0.10 per $100 for estates over $15,000 under § 58.1-1712), court filing fees, attorney fees, and possibly executor compensation. For a $600,000 estate, these costs can add up to several thousand dollars or more.
• A trust avoids most of those costs: There’s no probate filing, no probate tax on trust assets, and the successor trustee can act without attorney involvement for straightforward distributions.

For larger estates, the savings from avoiding probate often exceed the additional up-front cost of a trust. For smaller, simpler estates, a will with other probate-avoidance tools (like beneficiary designations and TOD deeds) may be just as effective at a lower initial cost.

Flexibility and Control: Both Are Flexible, But Differently

Both wills and revocable living trusts can be amended or revoked at any time while you are alive and competent. In that sense, both offer strong flexibility.

But a living trust offers one additional flexibility advantage: incapacity planning. If you become unable to manage your affairs due to illness or injury, your successor trustee can step in immediately and manage your trust assets — paying bills, managing investments, and providing for your care — without needing court authorization. A will, by contrast, only takes effect at death and provides nothing for incapacity.

With a will-based plan, you’d need a separate durable power of attorney to handle financial matters during incapacity. With a trust-based plan, the trust itself handles this, and a companion power of attorney covers any assets that weren’t transferred into the trust.

Multi-State Property: Trust Is Simpler

If you own real estate in more than one state — say, a home in Virginia and a vacation property in North Carolina — a will-based plan typically requires probate in each state where you own real property. This means multiple court filings, multiple attorneys, and multiple sets of fees.

A revocable living trust eliminates this problem. Because the trust owns the property (not you individually), there’s no probate in any state. One trust, one successor trustee, one administration process.

Do You Need Both?

Most estate planning attorneys recommend that clients with a living trust also execute a “pour-over will.” This is a simple will that directs any assets not titled in the trust at your death to “pour over” into the trust. It acts as a safety net for assets that weren’t transferred to the trust during your lifetime.

The pour-over will does go through probate for those leftover assets, but its existence ensures that everything ultimately ends up in the trust and is distributed according to its terms. The goal is to keep the pour-over estate as small as possible through careful funding.

A will also remains essential for naming guardians for minor children — a function a trust cannot perform. If you have children under 18, you need a will for that reason alone.

When a Will Alone May Be Sufficient

Not everyone needs a living trust. A will combined with beneficiary designations, POD/TOD account designations, and a Virginia Transfer-on-Death Deed for real property can accomplish much of the same probate avoidance at a lower initial cost. This approach works well for:

• Smaller estates where probate costs are modest relative to planning costs
• People with straightforward asset structures and clear beneficiaries
• Younger individuals who plan to update their estate plan as circumstances change

For a guide to writing a valid will in Virginia, see How to Write a Legal Will in Virginia.

When a Living Trust Makes More Sense

A revocable living trust tends to offer greater value when:

• Your estate is large enough that probate costs would be substantial
• You own real property in multiple states
• Privacy is a priority
• You have complex family situations (blended families, beneficiaries with special needs, spendthrift concerns)
• You want seamless incapacity planning without court involvement
• You want to minimize estate administration burdens on your family

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a living trust replace a will in Virginia?

Not entirely. Most people with a living trust still need a pour-over will to catch any assets not transferred into the trust, and a will is the only way to name a guardian for minor children. A living trust and a will work best together as a complete estate plan.

Can I be the trustee of my own living trust?

Yes. In Virginia, it is standard practice for the grantor to serve as the initial trustee of their own revocable living trust. You retain full control of the trust assets during your lifetime. The successor trustee only takes over when you become incapacitated or die.

Does a living trust save estate taxes?

A basic revocable living trust does not reduce federal estate taxes. Because you retain control over the trust during your lifetime, the assets are still included in your taxable estate. However, a trust can be structured with tax-planning provisions (such as credit shelter or bypass provisions) to minimize estate taxes for married couples with larger estates. Virginia does not have a state estate tax.

What does “funding a trust” mean?

Funding a trust means re-titling your assets so they are owned by the trust rather than by you personally. This involves changing the title on real estate (by recording a new deed), updating account ownership at banks and brokerage firms, and designating the trust as beneficiary on certain accounts. A trust that isn’t funded provides no probate protection.

How much does a living trust cost in Virginia?

The cost varies significantly depending on the complexity of your estate and the attorney you work with. A basic revocable living trust package (including companion documents like a pour-over will, durable power of attorney, and healthcare directive) can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars. The cost is generally higher than a simple will but often lower than the probate costs it prevents. See our overview of Virginia probate costs for comparison.

Is a living trust public record in Virginia?

No. A revocable living trust is a private document and is not filed with any court or government office (unless it owns real property, in which case a reference to the trust may appear in the land records). Unlike a probated will, the terms of a living trust — including who your beneficiaries are and what they receive — remain confidential.

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Related Reading

• How to avoid probate in Virginia
• Estate planning for blended families in Virginia
• Joint wills in Virginia
• What happens if you die without a will in Virginia

Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Virginia law is complex and individual circumstances vary. Do not rely on this article as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Virginia estate planning attorney. No attorney-client relationship is formed by reading this article.