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Miller Trust Guide
AZ · Guide

How Much Does It Cost to Set Up an Income-Only Trust in Arizona?

An elder-law attorney typically charges $1,000–$2,500 to research Arizona's Qualified Income Trust requirements and draft the trust — Arizona publishes no fill-in form, so drafting happens either way. This $97 guide is the research part: AHCCCS's own requirements, cited clause by clause, so the attorney's fee reflects drafting alone. This guide does not draft the trust or advise on your specific situation — it is informational only, not legal advice.

What an attorney typically charges

An elder-law attorney typically charges $1,000–$2,500 to research Arizona's requirements and draft the trust — and because Arizona publishes no fill-in form, that research-and-draft work happens either way.

What the $97 guide covers instead

This guide is the research part of that engagement: AHCCCS's own requirements, explained clause by clause and cited to AHCCCS Eligibility Policy Manual (EPM) 803-C "Income Only Trusts" (a Special Treatment Trust subtype, with the general conditions at EPM 803-A); EPM 803-E (Special Treatment Trusts and ALTCS Eligibility, incl. the Share of Cost non-reducibility rule) and EPM 601/609-B/1201-C (gross income counting and Share of Cost deductions) -- federal authority 42 U.S.C. § 1396p(d)(4)(B); state authority A.R.S. § 36-2934.01, A.A.C. R9-28-407.E, R9-28-408.F, so an attorney's fee reflects drafting alone instead of research plus drafting.

When the attorney's fee is worth it anyway: significant assets, prior gifting, a second marriage, or multi-state property. Those are fact-specific questions this guide does not answer — for them, consult an Arizona-licensed elder-law attorney regardless of which route you take on the trust itself.

The trust's money and the guide's price are separate

An Arizona Miller Trust holds only the applicant's income and pays only for the applicant's own care — it is never used to pay this guide's price or an attorney's fee. Whatever you spend to set the trust up happens outside the trust.

One cost this comparison doesn't include

A wasted bank trip costs you a day you don't get back. Free one-pager: the questions to ask before you drive to a branch, emailed now. Then 4 more short emails over 3 weeks on what else trips families up — then we stop.

Email only — we never ask for income, age, or family details, and never sell your address.

Common questions

Is a Miller Trust cheaper than hiring a lawyer in Arizona?
Usually, yes, for the core setup. An elder-law attorney typically charges $1,000–$2,500 for the same work — for complex estates (significant assets, prior gifting, a second marriage, multi-state property), the attorney's fee is worth it regardless of how the trust itself gets set up.
Does setting up the trust cost money out of the trust itself?
No. an Arizona Miller Trust holds only the applicant's own income and pays only for the applicant's own care. Whatever it costs to set the trust up — an attorney's fee or anything else — is separate from the money that flows through the trust each month.