[Ally'smum]

We need to see a lawyer to do our wills and ask some family law questions, we have been told that each will is $500 (incl.gst) and the charge out rate for the questions is $260 per hour for the family law questions.

Does this seem reasonable?

The charge out for the per hour work seems alright to me (I work in a similar area so was expecting this amount)but $500 each for wills? That seems like a lot and they would need to be updated when/if another child comes along.

[qak]

We paid $1,300 for our Wills, POA & guardian agreements a couple of years ago. You can get the wills worded to refer to your children (and future children) collectively and divide into as many parts as there are kids to save having to update for every child.

[Fossy]

Have you shopped around? I have no idea what's reasonable. Both our wills and POA cost $720, and as PP said it's worded to include future children so no amending necessary unless we decide to make specific changes.

[B.L.J]

Seems cheap to me! I am a legal PA and we do wills (no family law but superannuation) and my boss charges $500 plus just to see you.

To get advice and work done with my office you would be looking at closer to $2,000! I just about died when I did my first account there lol.

Definitely get the wording so it includes subsequent children.

[lozoodle]

After working in a first tier firm and seeing the charge out rates of our staff, that seems dirt cheap and very reasonable

You wouldnt even get a paralegal for that at my work.

[Ally'smum]

Thanks for the responses.

I have certainly chosen the wrong career!

I thought wills would be pretty standard (but I guess not) so was expecting that to be cheaper.

[PrincessPeach]

$260 per hour for a lawyer sounds quite reasonable actually.

To be honest, I'm a senior accountant & I charge out at the same rate.

[AllyK81]

I am a lawyer. That is very cheap.

My charge out rate is $500+ per hour and there's no way a will could be drafted (including taking instructions) and prepared in one hour.

Properly drafted, it should not need to be amended for subsequent children (not that this is my practice area!).

[Natttmumm]

The prices are cheap. I would go with that

[choleg908]

The prices are cheap. I would go with that

Wow.. this blows me away. I am a lawyer and have set up my own practice working from home to fit in around my son (2.5yrs). I do wills and do not charge anything like this!! I must be too cheap! But in all honesty find you cannot charge much for wills as people don't want to pay much. It is also hard when Public Trustee does them for free if you are happy to appoint them executor (and they take a fee something like 2.5%) or red cross has solicitors willing to do them as cheap as $50

I do mine as $330 for a couple if straightforward - all to each other then to children etc. If anything like trusts or split or blended families, then charge hourly rate of $250 but usually cap it.

my advice would be to shop around. It is a very competitive market.