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Hawaii uses a statutory trustee fee scheduleHRS §§ 554D-708, 607-18Verified May 30, 2026. The schedule sets fixed percentages based on trust value, so the cost is predictable. Family-member trustees often waive the fee entirely. Professional trustees (banks, trust companies, attorneys) typically charge between 0.5% and 1.5% of trust assets per year, with corporate fiduciaries usually applying minimum annual fees. The Hawaii trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in Hawaii is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 4 months in Hawaii — during which the trustee can't safely make final distributions. Simple trusts often wrap up in 6-9 months; trusts that hold business interests, real property in multiple states, or that need to file estate tax returns can take longer. See the Hawaii trustee checklist for the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in Hawaii average $406 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,218–$2,436 for a simple individual will and $3,900–$5,850 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.
Hawaii has a generous small-estate threshold of $100,000. Estates under that line can use the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property procedure, which is a form rather than a court case — most families can handle it without an attorney. For estates above the threshold, formal probate generally benefits from counsel because of the procedural overhead, even when nothing is contested. The Hawaii probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.
In Hawaii, 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 Hawaii 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 4,003 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.
58 firms
Full-service law firm established in 1955 with approximately 25 attorneys. Trust and estate planning practice handles revocable living trusts, wills, charitable trusts, durable powers of attorney, advance health care directives, and conservatorship/guardianship matters.
Location
999 Bishop Street, Suite 1400, First Hawaiian CenterHonolulu, HI 96813
Phone
(808) 539-0400
Established
1955
Service Area
1 county
Founded in 2017, Bonner Sogi & Associates is a Honolulu boutique firm whose attorneys handle estate planning, long-term care and special needs planning, trust and estate administration, probate, conservatorships, guardianships, and trust and estate litigation. Co-founder Geoff J. Sogi is recognized by Super Lawyers for Estate Planning & Probate.
Location
705 S. King Street, Suite 105Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone
(808) 492-1907
Established
2017
Service Area
1 county
Established in 2010, this West Oahu solo practice in Waipahu serves families across the Ewa-Pearl City-Kapolei area with wills, trusts, and family law matters. Saturday hours available.
Location
94-879 Farrington Highway, Suite EWaipahu, HI 96797
Phone
(808) 744-3419
Established
2010
Service Area
1 county
Established on Kauai in 1995, Belles Graham LLP handles general civil practice including probate, estate planning, trust law, real estate, and business law. The attorneys have more than 150 years of combined legal experience. Original branch office opened on Kauai in 1971.
Location
3135 Akahi Street, Suite A, Dynasty Professional BuildingLihue, HI 96766
Phone
(808) 245-4705
Established
1995
Service Area
1 county
Full-service law firm with over 80 attorneys. Trusts & Estates Group handles estate planning, trust and estate administration, wealth preservation, asset protection, charitable planning, and probate litigation across all Hawaiian islands.
Location
1000 Bishop Street, Suite 1200Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone
(808) 521-9200
Service Area
Statewide
The largest law firm on Maui with five attorneys and 13 employees, providing estate planning services including wills, trusts, and pre-marital agreements across all Hawaiian islands.
Location
2141 West Vineyard StreetWailuku, HI 96793
Phone
(808) 242-9350
Service Area
Statewide
Multi-island law firm with over 70 attorneys and offices on Oahu, Big Island, and Maui. Handles estate planning, probate, trust administration, and contested trust and probate proceedings statewide.
Location
1001 Bishop Street, Suite 2100Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone
(808) 523-2500
Service Area
Statewide
South Maui (Kihei) solo practice handling estate matters before the Second Circuit Court, Maui County's probate venue. Donald Chaikin takes probate administration and post-death fiduciary work, advising executors and trustees on estate settlement, fiduciary accounting, and the tax returns an estate must file. He pairs this with estate-tax planning when an estate carries unresolved tax questions.
Location
P.O. Box 1751Kihei, HI 96753
Phone
(808) 280-2044
Service Area
1 county
Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and licensed CPA, offering combined legal and tax expertise for estate planning, probate, asset protection, and trust litigation. Named 2026 Lawyer of the Year for Trusts & Estates by Best Lawyers in America.
Location
1100 Alakea Street, Suite 1701Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone
(808) 532-3103
Service Area
1 county
Established in 1970, Chun Kerr LLP handles trust and estate planning, wealth transfers, and trust administration. Martindale-Hubbell highest rating for ability and integrity for over 30 years.
Location
999 Bishop Street, Suite 2100Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone
(808) 528-8200
Established
1970
Service Area
1 county