Trust Administration Attorneys in District of Columbia

37 trust administration firms in District of Columbia, by county and firm type.

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.

37 firms

FirmWashington, DC

Antonoplos & Associates

Since 2012 · Serves the whole state

Downtown DC firm on DeSales Street NW, founded in 2012 by Peter Antonoplos, handling probate administration in the District of Columbia probate court as well as Maryland and Virginia. Guides personal representatives through estate administration, advises trustees on trust administration, and handles probate and trust litigation alongside wills, living trusts, and powers of attorney. Consultations by Zoom, phone, or in person.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 5 more

Office: 1725 DeSales Street NW, Suite 600Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 803-5676

Free consultationVirtual consultations

FirmBowie, MD

Adams Law Office, LLC

Serves the whole state

Bowie, Maryland estate firm founded by Suren G. Adams, a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia bars, handling probate for clients in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Guides families through probate administration, trust administration, and adult guardianships, and drafts wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and guardianship documents for minor children. Runs free estate planning workshops.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateGuardianshipand 4 more

Office: 4201 Mitchellville Road, Suite 500Bowie, MD 20716
Phone: (301) 760-2000

FirmWashington, DC

ArentFox Schiff LLP

Since 1942

National firm whose Washington office sits on K Street NW across from Farragut Square, with attorneys there since 1942. The Private Clients, Trusts & Estates group handles probate, estate settlement, and trust administration, and represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in trust and estate disputes. Also works with banks and trust companies serving as trustees and executors, and with family offices on multigenerational wealth transfer.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more

Office: 1717 K Street NWWashington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 857-6000

FirmWashington, DC

Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered

Since 1964

Washington tax firm on New Hampshire Avenue NW, founded in 1964 by former IRS Commissioner Mortimer M. Caplin and Douglas D. Drysdale, with a second office in New York. Its Private Client group handles probate and revocable trust administration, taking select new estates with foreign wills or foreign assets, post-mortem planning, or a residue passing to a charity. Also represents clients in IRS disputes over estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 3 more

Office: 1200 New Hampshire Avenue NW, 8th FloorWashington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 862-5000

FirmWashington, DC

Chisholm Law Group, LLC

Since 1994 · Serves the whole state

Bethesda-based tax and estate boutique with a Washington office on Pennsylvania Avenue NW, serving clients throughout Maryland, Virginia, D.C., and New York since 1994. Guides trustees, executors, and beneficiaries through probate administration, living trust administration, and estate tax return preparation, and handles IRS and state tax examinations and appeals. Also plans cross-border estates and expatriation for clients with assets or family overseas.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 5 more

Office: 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 400Washington, DC 20004
Phone: (844) 991-1392

FirmWashington, DC

Cozen O'Connor

Washington, DC office of a national firm at 2001 M Street NW, where member Adam D. Reid practices exclusively in private wealth, trusts and estates. The firm's Private Client, Trusts and Estates group represents executors, trustees, and beneficiaries from the settlement of estates through tax return preparation, audits, and ongoing trust accounting, and handles will and trust contests and construction and reformation disputes. Reid also advises on business succession and estate planning for bitcoin and other digital assets.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more

Office: 2001 M Street NW, Suite 500Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 912-4800

FirmWashington, DC

Curtin Law Roberson Dunigan & Salans, P.C.

Serves the whole state

Washington firm on Massachusetts Avenue NW serving DC and surrounding-area business owners, professionals, and individuals for 40 years. Counsels personal representatives and trustees administering estates and trusts, from probating the estate to accountings, tax returns, and audits, and litigates will and trust contests and breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims. Also practices business, tax, real estate, and employee-benefits law.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 3 more

Office: 1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 300Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 530-3333

FirmWashington, DC

The Elder & Disability Law Center

Since 1999 · Serves the whole state

Elder-law and estate firm with its main office on 19th Street NW in Washington and offices in Tysons Corner, VA and Bethesda, MD, serving clients throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia since 1999. Guides executors and trustees through probate, estate, and trust administration, handles will, trust, and probate disputes, and establishes guardianships and conservatorships. Robert S. Bullock, a Certified Elder Law Attorney, focuses on Medicaid planning and eligibility, and the firm drafts special needs trusts.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 8 more

Office: 1020 19th Street NW, Suite 510Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 452-0000

FirmWashington, DC

Farr Law Firm

Serves the whole state

Elder law and estate planning firm with a Washington office on H Street NW and offices in Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Rockville and Annapolis, serving Virginia, Maryland and DC. Its attorneys handle the planning and administration of trusts and estates in Washington, DC, guiding families through probate and estate administration and offering trust administration and executor and trustee assistance. Also handles Medicaid asset protection, special needs trusts and guardianship and conservatorship.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 5 more

Office: 1750 H Street NW, Suite 360Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 587-2797

FirmWashington, DC

Franklin Karibjanian Law & DePersis PLLC

Serves the whole state

Boutique trusts-and-estates firm whose primary office sits at 17th and L Streets NW in downtown Washington, one block from Farragut North, carrying forward the practice Virginia A. McArthur started over 20 years ago; Nicholeen DePersis became a named partner in January 2026. Assists individual and professional fiduciaries and families through the post-death estate settlement process, from collecting and valuing assets to probate and tax reporting and distributions. Also plans modest to large estates around federal and state gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, with offices in Naples and Boca Raton, Florida.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax PlanningCharitable Planning

Office: 1101 17th Street NW, Suite 820Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 857-3434

FirmWashington, DC

Frost Law

Serves the whole state

Multi-state tax, business, and estate firm with a Washington office on Connecticut Avenue NW, serving clients in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and beyond. Represents personal representatives through probate filings, releases, and distribution to beneficiaries, counsels trustees on their fiduciary duties, and prepares fiduciary income tax returns (Form 1041) and federal and state estate tax returns (Form 706). Founding partner Glen Frost is an attorney, CPA, and Certified Financial Planner.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 4 more

Office: 1050 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 618-1873

Free consultation

FirmWashington, DC

Geller Law Group, PLLC

Serves the whole state

Women-owned firm with a Connecticut Avenue NW office in Washington and an office in Fairfax, VA, whose probate practice extends across Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Guides personal representatives through the probate appointment, court filings, and later deadlines, administers trusts, and handles trusts and estates litigation alongside wills, trusts, and guardian or conservator matters. Its GLG+ annual subscription covers a yearly estate plan review and document updates.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 8 more

Office: 1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 700Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (703) 687-6188

FirmWashington, DC

Harrison LLP

Since 2003 · Serves the whole state

Washington, D.C. office of Harrison LLP, a national private-wealth firm founded in 2003; the office opened in 2025 in Georgetown Plaza on Wisconsin Avenue NW and serves clients in the District, Maryland and Virginia. Handles probate administration, trust administration, gift and estate tax returns and postmortem tax strategies, and counsels professional and lay fiduciaries administering trusts, decedents' estates and guardianship estates. The firm also has a trust and estate litigation practice and does special-needs and cross-border estate planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate Litigationand 4 more

Office: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 400Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 686-4842

FirmWashington, DC

Holland & Knight LLP

Washington, D.C. office of Holland & Knight on 17th Street NW, one block from Farragut West and one of the firm's largest offices, with wealth planning and tax lawyers. The firm's Private Client Dispute Resolution Group represents fiduciaries, beneficiaries and nonprofits in will and trust contests, breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims, guardianship and conservatorship disputes and financial elder abuse, before probate and tax courts. Its Private Wealth Services Group also handles estate administration, estate tax returns and post-mortem planning.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateProbate LitigationTrust Litigation

Office: 800 17th Street NW, Suite 1100Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 955-3000

FirmWashington, DC

Ivins, Phillips & Barker, Chartered

Since 1935

Washington tax firm on K Street NW, founded in 1935, with an estate planning group serving high-net-worth individuals and multi-generational families. Handles estate administration from standard probate filings to multi-jurisdictional estate tax returns, including funding testamentary trusts, paying bequests, choosing tax elections and representing estates in IRS estate tax examinations. Also plans wills and trusts, gift and estate tax strategy, privately held businesses and charitable giving.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 3 more

Office: 1717 K Street NW, Suite 600Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 393-7600

FirmWashington, DC

Jayde Law PLLC

Serves the whole state

Estate practice on 12th Street NW with a second office in Marlton, New Jersey, serving families in Washington, DC, Maryland and New Jersey. Splits its work between estate planning (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, medical directives) and trust and estate administration, guiding families through probate and trust administration after a death. Founded by James D. Saintvil; estate planning is billed at a flat fee and consultations can be held virtually.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbatePowers Of Attorneyand 2 more

Office: 700 12th Street NW, Suite 700Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 351-6825

Virtual consultations

Solo PracticeWashington, DC

Kith + Kin Law Firm, PLLC

Estate planning practice on New Jersey Avenue SE in Southeast Washington, founded by attorney Kelly I. Spencer. Works with executors, trustees and beneficiaries managing probate and trust administration, and offers three flat-fee levels of planning, from foundational wills and trusts to Medicaid asset protection, including plans for families with special-needs members. Every plan includes a three-year review and an optional recorded Legacy Interview, and appointments are booked online.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateSpecial Needs Planningand 4 more

Office: 853 New Jersey Avenue SEWashington, DC 20003
Phone: (202) 978-2247

FirmWashington, DC

Kalbian Hagerty LLP

International firm headquartered on 17th Street NW in Washington, with offices in New York, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, whose Trusts & Estates practice serves American and foreign business owners and families. Advises on the administration of estates and trusts and prepares wills, living wills, powers of attorney and trusts for spouses, children and charities. Its International Private Client Group handles cross-border estate planning, foreign-trust and tax structuring and family business succession.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateTax Planningand 3 more

Office: 888 17th Street NW, Suite 1200Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 223-5600

FirmWashington, DC

Kevin C. Martin, Attorney at Law, PLLC

Serves the whole state

Estate planning firm on Massachusetts Avenue NW serving the Washington, D.C. community, with a second office in Fort Lauderdale. Helps personal representatives open estates, obtain letters and complete filings with the D.C. Probate Division, and advises successor trustees and beneficiaries on trust administration. Drafts trusts, wills, powers of attorney and special needs plans, with particular experience serving LGBTQ+ individuals and Foreign Service Officers, and backs its work with a written service-satisfaction guarantee.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateElder Lawand 7 more

Office: 650 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 600Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (771) 888-5187

Free consultation

FirmWashington, DC

Lynn and Palumbo

Serves the whole state

Capitol Hill firm on Pennsylvania Avenue SE serving clients in the District of Columbia and Maryland in wills, trusts, and probate. Handles DC administrative probate, successor-trustee administration of revocable trusts, and guardianship and conservatorship petitions and the periodic court reports that follow. Both Gina Lynn and Jessica Palumbo have served on the fiduciary panel of the DC Superior Court Probate Division, and Gina Lynn served on the working group behind the Strengthening Probate Administration Amendment Act of 2024.

PracticesEstate PlanningTrust AdministrationProbateConservatorshipand 3 more

Office: 1008 Pennsylvania Avenue SEWashington, DC 20003
Phone: (202) 544-2200

Virtual consultations

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District of Columbia follows the reasonable-compensation standard for trustees. A court decides what is reasonable case by case, on the trust's size, its complexity and the trustee's actual work. A family-member trustee often waives the fee. A professional trustee (a bank, a trust company, an attorney) typically charges 0.5% to 1.5% of trust assets a year, and a corporate fiduciary applies an annual minimum. The District of Columbia trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.

Trust administration in District of Columbia is typically faster than probate because a trust needs no court supervision. The trustee can shorten the creditor-claim window to 6 months by publishing District of Columbia's optional notice; otherwise the general 36 months period governs before final distributions are safe. A simple trust often wraps up in six to nine months; a trust holding a business interest, real property in more than one state, or one that files an estate tax return takes longer. The District of Columbia trust settlement plan carries the full process.

Estate planning attorneys in District of Columbia average $347 an hour for wills and estates work. A flat-fee package runs $1,041 to $2,082 for a simple individual will and $3,820 to $5,730 for a basic revocable trust. An online service prices the same documents in the tens to low hundreds of dollars; the District of Columbia will cost calculator sets the two side by side.

In District of Columbia, estates with personal property of $40,000 or less skip probate with the Transfer by Affidavit, 60 days after death. That route is a form rather than a court case, and most families handle it without an attorney. Above the line, formal probate generally benefits from counsel for the procedural work, even when nothing is contested. The District of Columbia probate calculator estimates the cost by estate value.

In District of Columbia, the situations where counsel is typically worth the cost are: a blended family with children from a prior relationship; a business, rental property or significant investment assets; a dependent with special needs, who needs a special-needs trust to keep benefits; an estate near or above the District of Columbia estate tax threshold of $4,988,400; substantial property in more than one state. Where none of these apply, an online or self-help document is often enough.

Trust Administration Attorneys in District of Columbia

Trust administration in District of Columbia happens privately, without court supervision. The successor trustee handles the 36 months creditor period, distributes assets according to the trust terms, and is compensated under the reasonable-compensation standard. A family-member trustee often waives the fee; a professional trustee typically charges a percentage of trust assets a year.

District of Columbia attorneys average $347 an hour for wills and estates work. A basic will from an attorney runs $1,041–$2,082; online services cost $30–$300.

District of Columbia imposes its own estate tax separate from the federal one, kicking in well below the federal exemption. Estates near the state threshold benefit from real planning — not because every family needs it, but because the line is lower than people expect.

Estates under $40,000 in District of Columbia can use a simplified affidavit instead of formal probate. Most families in that range can handle it without retaining counsel.

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated October 17, 2026

Legal Sources

Data sourced from District of Columbia statutes and official state code. How we research.

Forms for Planning and Settling an Estate in District of Columbia

Free District of Columbia forms for planning an estate or settling one: a will, trust, powers of attorney, TOD deed, and the probate forms an executor files.

$12/month

Revocable Living Trust

Create a revocable living trust to avoid probate, protect privacy, and control asset distribution.

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Free

Pour-Over Will

In District of Columbia, a pour-over will is signed before 2 witnesses and moves anything left outside the trust into it through probate.

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All District of Columbia forms

Tools for Planning and Settling an Estate in District of Columbia

Free calculators and checklists for planning or settling an estate in District of Columbia: will and trust costs, probate, executor pay, and inheritance taxes.

How Do I Settle a Trust?

Settling a trust in District of Columbia happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust Code, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 days, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.

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What's Fair Trustee Compensation?

In District of Columbia, trustee compensation follows "reasonable compensation" (UTC § 708 or equivalent) unless the trust instrument sets a different amount.

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How Do I Settle an Estate?

Settling an estate in District of Columbia: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 days of appointment; creditors have 6 months to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 12 months.

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Do I Have to File Tax Returns for Someone Who Died?

District of Columbia requires a final state income tax return for the decedent alongside the federal Form 1040; a federal estate tax return (Form 706) is required only for estates above $15,000,000.

Check Requirements

How Does Step-Up in Basis Work?

Inherited assets in District of Columbia take a basis reset to fair market value on the date of death, and the gain on a later sale faces ordinary income tax at the state's regular rates.

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All District of Columbia tools