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Elder law attorneys in District of Columbia focus on the legal issues facing aging adults and their families: Medicaid planning for long-term care, drafting and updating durable powers of attorney and healthcare directives, guardianship and conservatorship proceedings, special needs trusts, and asset protection. Many also handle probate and estate planning, but elder law is the specific subset focused on care planning and benefits eligibility. See the District of Columbia healthcare proxy and financial power of attorney forms.
Federal law (and District of Columbia's implementation) imposes a 5-year lookback period for Medicaid long-term care eligibility. Any uncompensated transfers (gifts, transfers to family members, transfers to a non-Medicaid-qualified trust) within the 5 years before applying for Medicaid can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid won't pay for nursing home care. This is the main reason Medicaid planning needs to start years before care is actually needed — and the main reason elder law attorneys exist as a distinct practice area.
Estate planning attorneys in District of Columbia average $347 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,041–$2,082 for a simple individual will and $3,820–$5,730 for a basic revocable trust. Online and DIY services cost $30–$300 for the same documents — see the will cost calculator for a side-by-side comparison.
District of Columbia allows estates under $80,000 to use a simplified Small Estate Affidavit procedure, which is a form rather than a court case and typically doesn't require an attorney. For larger estates, formal probate is involved enough that retaining counsel is usually practical — the procedural work is what they're there for. Use the District of Columbia probate calculator to estimate the costs.
In District of Columbia, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships; ownership of a business, rental property, or significant investment assets; special-needs dependents who need a special-needs trust to preserve benefits; estates near or above the District of Columbia estate tax threshold; substantial property held in multiple states. If none of these describe your situation, the simpler online and DIY tools are often enough.
Search 3,941 estate law firms across 51 states.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to discuss your situation and verify their current practice areas and availability.
7 firms
Washington, DC firm near Union Station (Massachusetts Avenue NW) working at the intersection of family law, elder law, and estate planning. Led by Judith del Cuadro-Zimmerman, it administers complex estates and petitions for conservatorships and guardianships when someone dies or loses capacity without a plan. Available Saturdays by request.
Location
200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 700Washington, DC 20001
Service Area
Statewide
Boutique elder-law and estate firm on 19th Street NW in downtown Washington, founded 1999 and led by Robert Bullock, a Certified Elder Law Attorney. Serves aging, disabled, and long-term-care clients with Medicaid eligibility, special-needs trusts, guardianships, and probate and trust administration. Offers a free initial consultation across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Location
1111 19th Street NW, Suite 760DWashington, DC 20036
Phone
(202) 452-0000
Established
1999
Service Area
Statewide
Estate planning and elder-law practice in Friendship Heights, Washington (5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW), at the Maryland line, with 30+ years of experience. Handles DC probate, special-needs trusts that preserve government benefits, business-succession planning, and elder-law matters. Offers a free phone consultation.
Location
5335 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 440Washington, DC 20015
Phone
(202) 895-2799
Established
1981
Service Area
Statewide
Long-established solo practice providing affordable probate and estate planning services throughout Washington, DC and suburban Maryland. Serves all DC neighborhoods including Northeast, Southeast, and Capitol Hill. Over 40 years of practice.
Location
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1012Washington, DC 20036
Phone
(202) 783-7177
Established
1983
Service Area
Statewide
Georgetown, Washington office (by appointment) of Andre O. McDonald's elder-law and estate-planning practice, headquartered in Columbia, MD. Focuses on Medicaid and long-term-care planning, special-needs trusts, and veterans pension planning, plus wills, powers of attorney, and trust administration. Every client works directly with the founding attorney.
Location
1025 Thomas Jefferson Street NW, Suite 400Washington, DC 20007
Phone
(202) 640-2133
Service Area
Statewide
Founded 1982 and based on 17th Street NW near Farragut Square, QRG pairs estate planning with a deep elder-law and Medicaid-eligibility practice serving DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia families. The team-based approach brings in social workers and geriatric care managers alongside attorneys for trust administration, fiduciary services, and long-term-care planning.
Location
888 17th Street NW, Suite 640Washington, DC 20006
Phone
(202) 842-9300
Established
1982
Service Area
Statewide
Capitol Hill elder-law and estate-planning practice on G Street SE, one of the few estate firms outside the Northwest DC corridor, serving DC, Maryland, and Virginia families. Founder David Jonathan Taylor is a CELA-certified elder law attorney handling Medicaid eligibility, long-term-care planning, incapacity and guardianship protection, and probate.
Location
621 G Street SEWashington, DC 20003
Phone
(202) 546-1536
Service Area
Statewide