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A basic revocable living trust in District of Columbia costs roughly $3,820–$5,730 when drafted by an attorney, based on the typical 10-15 hours of attorney work at $382 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025. Online services offer trust packages for $300–$700, though they generally don't include attorney advice or review of your specific situation. See the District of Columbia trust cost calculator for a detailed breakdown.
Even if you create a revocable trust in District of Columbia, you generally still need a will — most commonly a "pour-over" will that captures any assets you forgot to retitle into the trust. District of Columbia also allows transfer-on-death deeds for real estate, which can move property out of probate without a trust. Whether a trust adds enough value over a will-only plan depends on your situation: real property, blended families, and out-of-state assets are the most common reasons. The trust-or-will tool walks through the decision.
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.
61 firms
Downtown DC firm off Dupont Circle (DeSales Street NW) handling probate administration and estate planning for District families. Probates estates through the DC Superior Court Probate Division, drafts wills and living trusts, and administers trusts after a death. Offers a free Zoom or phone consultation.
Location
1725 DeSales Street NW, Suite 600Washington, DC 20036
Phone
(202) 803-5676
Service Area
Statewide
Estate planning firm run by Suren Adams out of Bowie, MD with a downtown DC satellite on Connecticut Avenue NW, serving Prince George's County and District families since 2003. Drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance directives, handles probate, and pursues guardianships for minor children. Runs free estate planning workshops.
Location
1025 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1012Washington, DC 20036
Phone
(301) 805-5892
Service Area
Statewide
Since 1942, attorneys in the Washington, DC office have served as trusted advisors. The Private Clients, Trusts & Estates Group has more than 25 attorneys providing estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, and probate administration.
Location
1717 K Street NWWashington, DC 20006
Phone
(202) 857-6000
Established
1942
Service Area
Statewide
Small K Street firm in downtown Washington, DC pairing estate planning with real estate and business formation work. Drafts wills and basic estate plans and handles probate alongside property transactions, with a reputation for handling complicated deals at reasonable fees. Partner Mark Bayer is licensed in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Location
1990 K Street NW, Suite 605Washington, DC 20006
Phone
(202) 466-4747
DC firm combining family law and estate planning, serving the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Drafts wills, trusts, and advance directives alongside adoption and family law matters.
Location
503 D Street NW, Suite 210Washington, DC 20001
Phone
(202) 670-5291
Service Area
Statewide
Boutique Washington tax firm near Dupont Circle (New Hampshire Avenue NW) founded by former IRS Commissioner Mortimer Caplin, whose Private Client group handles wills, trusts, and the administration of trusts and estates. Works on cross-border and high-value matters: gift and generation-skipping tax, foreign trusts, and IRS estate-tax disputes for families, family offices, and fiduciaries.
Location
1200 New Hampshire Avenue NW, 8th FloorWashington, DC 20036
Phone
(202) 862-5000
Service Area
Statewide
International law firm known as a white-shoe firm, headquartered in Washington, DC. Estate planning practice focused on trusts and estates, including estate planning, administration and tax issues.
Location
850 Tenth Street NWWashington, DC 20001
Phone
(202) 662-6000
Service Area
Statewide
Nonprofit law firm supporting DC residents who do not qualify for traditional free legal aid and cannot afford costly representation. Partners with DC's Department of Housing and Community Development to run the District's first Heirs' Property Assistance Program.
Location
1717 K Street NWWashington, DC 20006
Phone
(202) 844-5430
Service Area
Statewide
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
Long-established Dupont-area firm on Massachusetts Avenue NW (with a New York office) serving DC-metro families and privately held business owners for over 40 years. Trust-and-estate attorneys plan to minimize tax and avoid probate, administer estates and trusts, and handle estate litigation. Also practices business, real estate, and employee-benefits law.
Location
1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 300Washington, DC 20036
Phone
(202) 530-3333