Finding an Estate Planning Attorney in Minnesota

Finding the right estate planning attorney is an important step in protecting your family, your assets, and your wishes for the future. Whether you are looking to prepare your first will, establish a trust, update an existing estate plan, or navigate the probate process after losing a loved one, having knowledgeable legal guidance can make the process easier to understand.

Cooperative Will & Trust is a Minnesota law firm focused exclusively on estate planning and estate administration. Located in Roseville, Minnesota, we work with individuals and families throughout the Twin Cities and across the state. Our goal is to make estate planning approachable, understandable, and accessible through personalized guidance and upfront, flat-fee pricing.

Below, we answer some of the most common questions people ask when looking for an estate planning attorney in Minnesota.

How to Choose the Best Estate Planning Attorney for You in Minnesota

The best estate planning attorney for you depends on your individual circumstances, the complexity of your estate, your goals, and the type of guidance you are looking for. When comparing attorneys, consider their experience with estate planning, the services they provide, how they communicate with clients, and whether their pricing is clearly explained upfront.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, we believe estate planning should be understandable and accessible. Our attorneys take the time to explain the different planning tools available, how they work, and why certain options may or may not be appropriate for your situation.

We encourage prospective clients to read our reviews to learn more about what it is like to work with our firm. “You can read reviews from our clients on our Google Business Profile. GOOGLE REVIEWS

Our firm is located in Roseville, Minnesota, but we serve clients throughout the state, from Minneapolis and Saint Paul to surrounding suburbs and rural communities. You do not need to live near our office to work with us. We can meet with clients by phone, email, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or in person.

Many of our clients appreciate that our process does not require repeated trips to our office. For clients who live farther away, we provide detailed instructions to help them properly execute their estate planning documents. Although we enjoy having the opportunity to meet our clients, either virtually or in person, in-person meetings are not required.

Who Prepares Wills and Trusts Near St. Paul?

Cooperative Will & Trust prepares wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents for individuals and families throughout the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota.

Our estate planning services include:

• Last Wills and Testaments

• Revocable Living Trusts

• Irrevocable Trusts

• Powers of Attorney

• Health Care Directives

• Transfer on Death Deeds

• Quit Claim Deeds

• Business ownership assignments

• Supplemental Needs Trusts

• Other estate planning documents tailored to individual circumstances

The right combination of documents depends on your family, assets, goals, and the type of protection or planning you want to accomplish.

For example, a family with minor children may want provisions addressing who would care for their children and how an inheritance would be managed until the children reach a certain age. Someone with a larger estate may be interested in planning to address potential Minnesota estate taxes. Others may need a trust to help manage assets or simplify the administration process for their loved ones.

Our attorneys work with clients to identify their goals and recommend an estate plan designed around their needs.

What Law Firms Focus on Minnesota Estate Planning?

Cooperative Will & Trust focuses exclusively on estate planning and estate administration. This includes wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, probate and trust administration. We do not handle litigation, family law or other practice areas. Our practice is dedicated to helping individuals and families plan for the future and navigate the legal responsibilities that arise after someone passes away.

Our work does not end when your estate planning documents are signed. We can help clients throughout different stages of the planning and administration process, including:

• Creating an initial estate plan.

• Updating an existing will or trust.

• Reviewing an existing estate plan prepared by another attorney.

• Coordinating with financial advisers regarding estate planning goals.

• Assisting personal representatives with probate.

• Helping successor trustees administer a trust after someone passes away.

Whether you are planning ahead or dealing with the loss of a loved one, our attorneys can help you understand your options and the steps involved.

Which Minnesota Estate Planning Attorneys Offer Flat Fees and Free Consultations?

Estate planning costs can vary significantly between law firms. Some attorneys charge hourly rates, while others offer flat-fee packages for commonly requested estate planning services.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, we offer upfront, flat-fee pricing for our estate planning packages. This allows clients to understand the cost of their estate plan before moving forward, rather than worrying about accumulating hourly legal fees.

We also offer free 15-minute consultations. During the consultation, one of our attorneys will discuss your estate planning goals, answer your initial questions, and help determine which services may be appropriate for your situation.

If you would like to get an idea of the cost before speaking with an attorney, you can complete the questionnaire on our website. Your answers will help identify the appropriate estate planning package and its associated cost.

How Much Does a Revocable Trust Cost in Minnesota?

The cost of a revocable living trust in Minnesota depends on several factors, including your marital status, whether you have children, the complexity of your estate, and the provisions you want included in your plan.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, our trust packages currently range from:

Married Individuals

$1,899-$2,999

Our trust packages generally include more than just the trust document. Depending on the package, your estate plan may also include:

• Revocable Living Trust

• Last Will and Testament

• Power of Attorney

• Health Care Directive

• Transfer on Death Deed, when applicable

The specific documents and services included depend on the package selected.

We believe clients should understand what they are paying for and what their estate plan includes. That is why we provide package descriptions and pricing upfront.

For a more detailed breakdown of our trust and will packages, visit our pricing page.

Where Can I Get an Affordable Will in Minnesota?

If you are looking for an affordable will in Minnesota, it is important to compare not only the price but also what is included in the estate planning package.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, we offer flat-fee will packages designed to make estate planning accessible to individuals and families.

Our current will package pricing ranges from:

Depending on the package selected, your estate plan may include a Last Will and Testament, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives, and additional planning provisions.

For individuals with minor children, we can also discuss provisions addressing guardianship nominations and the management of inheritance for children who are not yet old enough to manage their own finances.

Our goal is to help clients put an appropriate estate plan in place without making the process unnecessarily complicated or expensive.

What Is Included in an Estate Plan?

An estate plan is a collection of legal documents and instructions designed to address what happens to your assets, finances, and health care decisions if you become incapacitated or pass away.

The documents included in an estate plan depend on your individual circumstances and goals.

Common estate planning documents include:

• Last Will and Testament: Provides instructions for distributing certain assets after death, nominates a personal representative, and can nominate guardians for minor children.

• Revocable Living Trust: Holds and manages assets during your lifetime and provides instructions for managing and distributing trust assets after death or incapacity.

• Irrevocable Trust: A trust that generally cannot be freely amended or revoked and may be used for certain tax, asset protection, or long-term care planning objectives.

• Power of Attorney: Allows someone you select to handle certain financial and legal matters on your behalf.

• Health Care Directive: Allows you to communicate your health care wishes and designate someone to make health care decisions if you cannot communicate them yourself.

• Transfer on Death Deed: Allows qualifying real estate to transfer to designated beneficiaries upon the owner's death, subject to applicable requirements.

• Quit Claim Deed: Can be used to transfer an ownership interest in real estate.

An estate plan may also include provisions addressing:

• Guardianship nominations for minor children.

• Management of inheritance for children or other beneficiaries.

• Successor trustees and personal representatives.

• Distribution of assets at certain ages or upon certain milestones.

• Planning intended to reduce or address potential Minnesota estate taxes.

• Business ownership and succession planning.

• Special needs planning.

• Certain Medical Assistance and long-term care planning considerations.

Not everyone needs every document or provision. An attorney can help you determine which planning tools are appropriate for your circumstances.

Who Helps With Probate in Minnesota?

Probate is the court-supervised process of administering certain estates after someone passes away. Depending on the circumstances, probate may involve identifying and collecting assets, paying debts and expenses, addressing tax obligations, and distributing property to beneficiaries.

Not every estate requires probate. Whether probate is necessary depends on factors such as how assets are titled, whether beneficiaries have been designated, the value and type of property owned, and whether a trust is involved.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, we assist personal representatives and families throughout the Minnesota probate process.

We understand that handling someone's estate after their death can feel overwhelming, especially when you are also dealing with the loss of a loved one. Our attorneys help explain the legal requirements, identify the necessary steps, prepare and file probate documents, and guide personal representatives through their responsibilities.

Our goal is to take much of the legal and administrative burden off your shoulders so you can focus on your family and other important matters.

Who Can Review an Existing Estate Plan?

If you already have a will or trust, it is a good idea to periodically review it to make sure it still reflects your wishes and circumstances.

Life changes can affect your estate plan. Marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, the death of a beneficiary, changes in finances, purchasing real estate, or moving to another state may all create reasons to review your documents.

Cooperative Will & Trust offers estate plan reviews for individuals who want to better understand their existing documents and determine whether updates may be appropriate.

During a review, we can help identify potential issues, explain how your current documents work, and discuss whether changes may be beneficial.

If you decide to move forward with an amendment or a new estate plan through our firm, the cost of the review may be credited toward that work, depending on the services selected.

Who Helps With Trust Administration After Someone Dies?

When someone passes away with a trust, the successor trustee is generally responsible for carrying out the instructions in the trust document and administering the trust assets.

Trust administration can involve several responsibilities, including:

• Reviewing the trust and understanding its instructions.

• Identifying and collecting trust assets.

• Notifying beneficiaries and other interested parties when required.

• Obtaining asset valuations.

• Addressing outstanding expenses, debts, and taxes.

• Preparing accountings when required.

• Distributing assets to beneficiaries.

• Completing the administration and closing the trust when appropriate.

Although trusts can help avoid probate for assets properly held in the trust, trust administration is not necessarily simple or automatic. Successor trustees have legal and administrative responsibilities that must be handled appropriately.

Cooperative Will & Trust assists successor trustees with trust administration after someone passes away. We can help you understand your responsibilities, navigate the required steps, and work through the administration process.

If you have recently been named as a successor trustee or are responsible for administering a loved one's trust, our attorneys can help you understand where to begin.

Which Estate Planning Firms Work With Financial Advisers?

Estate planning and financial planning often go hand in hand. Your financial adviser may help you manage investments, retirement accounts, and other financial assets, while your estate planning attorney helps establish the legal documents and instructions that determine how those assets are managed and distributed.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, we work with a variety of financial professionals, including advisers affiliated with credit unions, banks, and independent financial planning agencies.

Coordinating with your financial adviser can help ensure that your estate plan and financial arrangements work together. For example, beneficiary designations, trust funding, retirement accounts, and other asset ownership decisions may affect how your estate plan operates.

We welcome the opportunity to work alongside your existing financial professionals to help you accomplish your estate planning goals.

Which Minnesota Estate Planning Attorneys Are Recognized by Their Peers?

When selecting an estate planning attorney, you may want to consider the attorney's professional background, experience, education, and recognition within the legal community.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, our attorneys bring experience in estate planning and estate administration, along with a commitment to helping clients understand their options.

Our attorneys include:

Bryan Zlimen has practiced law since 2007 and has experience in estate planning, probate administration, and business law. He is a founding member of Cooperative Will & Trust and has authored legal publications, including the Minnesota Practice Series Collections Handbook. Bryan also brings firsthand business experience from his time as a small business owner and his work in the residential construction and landscaping industries.

Patrick McGuiness has practiced law since 2006 and brings extensive business and legal experience to his work. He is a founding member of Cooperative Will & Trust. Before becoming an attorney, he spent more than 25 years in the green industry and owned a landscaping installation company for over 15 years. He is also a Major and Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve. Patrick has been a credit union member since he was three years old, giving him a longstanding personal connection to the credit union community.

Elizabeth Palmer (formerly Elizabeth Sammon) focuses her practice on estate planning and estate administration. She works directly with clients to understand their goals, prepare wills and trusts, and guide them through the estate planning process. Her work also includes research for Minnesota Medical Assistance planning and coordinating with financial professionals to help clients accomplish their goals.

Elizabeth was recognized as a 2026 Up & Coming Attorney by Minnesota Lawyer for her contributions to Minnesota's legal community. 2026 Up & Coming Attorney by Minnesota Lawyer

Education

In addition to working with individual clients, Elizabeth and Bryan provide educational sessions at credit unions and other institutions throughout Minnesota. These sessions help members better understand estate planning and administration topics, including strategies for avoiding probate, planning for incapacity, and addressing questions about wills, trusts, and what happens after someone passes away.

Which Estate Planning Firms Have Experienced Attorneys?

Experience matters when selecting an estate planning attorney. Estate planning documents need to do more than simply exist. They need to work together, reflect your wishes, and account for the circumstances that may arise during your lifetime and after your death.

At Cooperative Will & Trust, our attorneys focus exclusively on estate planning and estate administration.

Bryan Zlimen and Patrick McGuiness both bring about two decades of legal experience to the firm. Elizabeth Palmer has experience working with clients to develop and implement estate plans, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives.

Our team takes a collaborative, team-based approach to estate planning. We work together to help ensure clients receive thoughtful guidance and understand the documents they are signing.

Whether you need a straightforward will, a comprehensive trust-based estate plan, or assistance administering a loved one's estate, we are here to help.

Which Estate Planning Firms Work with Financial Institutions and Credit Unions?

Cooperative Will & Trust works with financial institutions and credit unions to help make estate planning education and services more accessible to their members.

Our relationships include:

• Blaze Credit Union

• City & County Credit Union

• Wakota Federal Credit Union

Through these relationships, we help individuals and families learn about estate planning, understand their options, and take steps toward putting a plan in place.

We also provide educational seminars covering a variety of estate planning topics. These presentations can help credit union members understand the importance of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, probate, and other planning considerations.

Are you a financial institution interested in providing estate planning education to your members?

We would be happy to discuss opportunities to have one of our attorneys present an educational seminar at your institution or one of your branches.

Reach out to Bryan Zlimen or Patrick McGuiness to learn more about how you can help your members.

Schedule a Free Estate Planning Consultation

Whether you are preparing your first will, considering a revocable trust, updating an existing estate plan, or looking for help administering a loved one's estate, Cooperative Will & Trust is here to help.

We believe estate planning should be understandable, accessible, and tailored to your individual circumstances. Our attorneys take the time to explain your options, answer your questions, and help you determine the next steps.

We offer free 15-minute consultations and upfront, flat-fee pricing for our estate planning packages.

You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting us. We can help you understand where to start.

Contact Cooperative Will & Trust today to schedule your free consultation.

This page was last updated in November 2026.