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Washington follows the "reasonable compensation" standard for trusteesWash. Rev. Code § 11.98.070(26)Verified Jun 10, 2026. Courts decide what's reasonable on a case-by-case basis, looking at trust size, complexity, and the trustee's actual work. 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 Washington trustee compensation calculator breaks it down by trust situation.
Trust administration in Washington is typically faster than probate because trusts don't require court supervision. The main floor is the creditor claim period — 24 months in Washington — 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 Washington trustee checklist for the full process.
Estate planning attorneys in Washington average $388 per hourClio Legal Trends Report 2025Verified Jan 1, 2025 for wills and estates work. Flat-fee packages run roughly $1,164–$2,328 for a simple individual will and $3,400–$5,100 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.
Washington has a generous small-estate threshold of $100,000. Estates under that line can use the small estate affidavit 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 Washington probate calculator estimates total costs based on estate value.
In Washington, the situations where retaining counsel is typically worth the cost are: blended families with children from prior relationships (community property rules can produce surprising outcomes); 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 Washington 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 4,004 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.
39 firms
Adams & Duncan provides full-service estate planning services to Snohomish County and North King County individuals from their offices in Everett, WA. The firm handles estate planning, probate and trust administration, and estate litigation.
Location
3128 Colby AveEverett, WA 98201
Phone
(425) 339-8556
Service Area
2 counties
For more than 75 years, Althauser Rayan Abbarno, LLP has provided estate planning and probate services for people throughout western Washington, southwest Washington and the south Puget Sound region. The firm has seven attorneys and has represented individuals and businesses in the community since 1946.
Location
114 W Magnolia StCentralia, WA 98531
Phone
(360) 736-1301
Established
1946
Service Area
3 counties
Basalt Legal PLLC (formerly Burkhart and Burkhart) provides estate planning, probate and trust administration, business law, and civil litigation services in Walla Walla. The firm represents individuals, families, farms, and businesses throughout Eastern Washington.
Location
6 1/2 N 2nd Ave, Suite 200Walla Walla, WA 99362
Phone
(509) 529-0630
Established
2008
Service Area
2 counties
Brian Duce has been a leading probate and estate planning attorney in the Marysville area for over 30 years. The firm serves clients throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, and Island counties with wills, trusts, probate, and estate planning services.
Location
1701 Grove StMarysville, WA 98270
Phone
(360) 659-9210
Service Area
4 counties
Budd Bay Law, P.S. is a full-service law firm in Olympia providing quality estate planning services individually tailored to the needs and goals of their clients. The firm serves Thurston, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, and Grays Harbor counties.
Location
324 W Bay Dr NW, Suite 201Olympia, WA 98502
Phone
(360) 866-4000
Service Area
5 counties
Chuckanut Law Group is a boutique estate planning firm in Bellingham providing estate planning, probate and trust administration, and adoption services. The firm takes a compassionate, client-focused approach.
Location
306 N Commercial St, Suite BBellingham, WA 98225
Phone
(360) 450-4255
Service Area
1 county
CMS Law Firm is the Northwest's premiere estate planning, probate, and trust administration law firm. Founded by Christopher Small, the firm focuses on estate planning with legacy and family protection at the forefront.
Location
811 Kirkland Ave, Suite 201Kirkland, WA 98033
Phone
(206) 659-1512
Service Area
3 counties
Davies Pearson is a full-service law firm established in 1949, celebrating over 75 years of legal service in Tacoma. Their estate planning group provides services in wills, trusts, taxation, and elder law. The firm has 11 attorneys and has received the AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Location
1498 Pacific Ave, Suite 520Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone
(253) 620-1500
Established
1949
Service Area
2 counties
Dickson Frohlich Phillips Burgess has detailed knowledge of Washington laws related to probate and estate planning. Their practice areas include trust creation, will drafting, estate planning, breach of fiduciary duty, legal guardianships, financial elder abuse, and contested will and trust litigation. The firm has over a century of combined experience.
Location
909 A Street, Suite 900Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone
(253) 572-1000
Service Area
3 counties
Douglass Law serves the Palouse and Lewis-Clark Valley with estate planning, probate, guardianship, and family law services. Licensed in both Washington and Idaho, the firm provides wills, powers of attorney, and comprehensive estate plans from their Clarkston office.
Location
935 6th StClarkston, WA 99403
Phone
(208) 746-0344
Service Area
2 counties