Should You Get a Trust or a Will in Hawaii?

Probate in Hawaii typically costs 2.3-3.6% of the estate value in attorney fees alone.HRS § 560:3-721 (court reviews attorney compensation for reasonableness; no statutory fee schedule)Verified Sep 8, 2026 All-in costs on a $500,000 estate run about $28,206. A revocable trust has a one-time setup cost and no probate fees. See a detailed breakdown with the Hawaii probate calculator.

No. A will must go through probate in Hawaii. However, estates with personal property under $100,000 may qualify for Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property, which is faster and less expensive than full probate.HRS § 560:1-101 (UPC short title), § 560:3-1201 (small estate affidavit, $100K gross), § 560:3-1203 (PR summary administration), § 560:3-1205 ($100K clerk-of-court administration of a small estate — distinct from the § 560:3-1203 summary administration procedure, which has no dollar threshold), § 560:3-301 (informal probate; applications directed to the registrar), § 560:3-603 (bond), § 560:3-706 (inventory and appraisement by the PR), § 560:3-715 (PR transactions / independent admin), § 560:3-719 (PR compensation — reasonable), § 560:3-721 (review of attorney/PR compensation), § 607-18 (percentage compensation of TRUSTEES; cross-references PRs to §§ 560:3-719 to 3-721), § 560:3-801(a) (permissive estate notice to creditors, two successive weeks, amended L 2023, c 158, §41), § 560:3-801(f) (trustee notice to creditors, two successive weeks, amended L 2024, c 7, §2), § 560:3-803 (claim limitations), § 607-5(b)(14) ($100 circuit court probate filing fee), § 560:3-1211 (Part 12 proceedings free from costs of court; clerk's fee of 3% of the first $100,000 of the gross estate in a § 560:3-1205 administration), § 607-5(a) (circuit-court fee schedule does not reach small estates whose cost is fixed by another statute)Verified Sep 8, 2026

Simple estates in Hawaii typically take 6-9 months through probate. Complex or contested estates can take 15-30 months or longer.HRS § 560:1-101 (UPC short title), § 560:3-1201 (small estate affidavit, $100K gross), § 560:3-1203 (PR summary administration), § 560:3-1205 ($100K clerk-of-court administration of a small estate — distinct from the § 560:3-1203 summary administration procedure, which has no dollar threshold), § 560:3-301 (informal probate; applications directed to the registrar), § 560:3-603 (bond), § 560:3-706 (inventory and appraisement by the PR), § 560:3-715 (PR transactions / independent admin), § 560:3-719 (PR compensation — reasonable), § 560:3-721 (review of attorney/PR compensation), § 607-18 (percentage compensation of TRUSTEES; cross-references PRs to §§ 560:3-719 to 3-721), § 560:3-801(a) (permissive estate notice to creditors, two successive weeks, amended L 2023, c 158, §41), § 560:3-801(f) (trustee notice to creditors, two successive weeks, amended L 2024, c 7, §2), § 560:3-803 (claim limitations), § 607-5(b)(14) ($100 circuit court probate filing fee), § 560:3-1211 (Part 12 proceedings free from costs of court; clerk's fee of 3% of the first $100,000 of the gross estate in a § 560:3-1205 administration), § 607-5(a) (circuit-court fee schedule does not reach small estates whose cost is fixed by another statute)Verified Sep 8, 2026 A revocable trust avoids probate entirely; trust administration typically runs 2-4 months.

Yes. A will becomes a public court record once it enters probate in Hawaii. A revocable trust is a private document that does not go through probate, so the terms, beneficiaries, and asset details remain confidential.

Use the Hawaii probate calculator to estimate attorney fees, executor fees, court costs, and the probate timeline.HRS § 560:1-101 (UPC short title), § 560:3-1201 (small estate affidavit, $100K gross), § 560:3-1203 (PR summary administration), § 560:3-1205 ($100K clerk-of-court administration of a small estate — distinct from the § 560:3-1203 summary administration procedure, which has no dollar threshold), § 560:3-301 (informal probate; applications directed to the registrar), § 560:3-603 (bond), § 560:3-706 (inventory and appraisement by the PR), § 560:3-715 (PR transactions / independent admin), § 560:3-719 (PR compensation — reasonable), § 560:3-721 (review of attorney/PR compensation), § 607-18 (percentage compensation of TRUSTEES; cross-references PRs to §§ 560:3-719 to 3-721), § 560:3-801(a) (permissive estate notice to creditors, two successive weeks, amended L 2023, c 158, §41), § 560:3-801(f) (trustee notice to creditors, two successive weeks, amended L 2024, c 7, §2), § 560:3-803 (claim limitations), § 607-5(b)(14) ($100 circuit court probate filing fee), § 560:3-1211 (Part 12 proceedings free from costs of court; clerk's fee of 3% of the first $100,000 of the gross estate in a § 560:3-1205 administration), § 607-5(a) (circuit-court fee schedule does not reach small estates whose cost is fixed by another statute)Verified Sep 8, 2026

Whether a trust is cost-effective depends on estate size, property types, and Hawaii's probate costs. The Hawaii trust need assessment evaluates these factors against your specific situation.