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Best Estate Planning Lawyers in Honolulu, HI

Our Recommended Top 16

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Honolulu Estate Planning Lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

107Reviewed

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16Top Picks

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Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

999 Bishop St Ste 1600, Honolulu, HI 96813

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel is a Honolulu law firm that assists clients with estate planning matters. Its team of over 50 experienced attorneys handle everything from living trust and will creation to power of attorney and advanced health directive orders. The firm also helps with conservatorship issues and provides full legal counsel to trust and probate administrators. Additionally, Goodsill, Anderson, Quinn, & Stifel represents clients facing contested wills and trusts and fiduciary litigation. It also assists with business succession planning.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Judy Lee - PartnerActive35 yrs
Rosemarie Sam - PartnerActive19 yrs
Raymond Okada - PartnerActive33 yrs

945 Makaiwa St, Honolulu, HI 96816

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (6)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Richard M. Sakoda provides estate planning services to clients in Honolulu. The firm helps individuals maintain control of their affairs while alive and keep that control even if they become incapacitated. It assists clients in appointing personal representatives who make financial and medical decisions on their behalf. Richard Sakoda, the firm's founder, goes beyond retitling assets after death by helping clients share their values with their families. He has also represented clients from China, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Richard Sakoda - PrincipalActive41 yrs

Aiea, HI 96701

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.5 (14)
Google
4.7 (3)
Avvo
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of George Nam is a trusts and estates firm that has been serving individuals, families, and businesses throughout the Honolulu metro for over 25 years. This firm offers legal assistance in estate planning, revocable and irrevocable living trusts, probate and estate settlement, conservatorship, guardianship, real property conveyance, and reciprocal beneficial plans. The Law Offices of George Nam are conveniently located at the Ala Moana and Pearlridge Shopping Centers.

1188 Bishop Street, Suite 2706, Honolulu, HI 96813

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (35)
Facebook
5.0 (5)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office Of Keoni Souza LLC is a private practice that handles matters concerning estate planning. Serving Honolulu and the nearby areas, it assists clients in drafting documents, like powers of attorney, trusts, kid protection plans, and wills, to achieve goals and avoid probate court. The firm also assists with special need planning, asset protection, and estate tax. Typical clients of the firm include conventional, blended, and LGBTQ families. It also caters to single parents, life partners, and married couples without children.

Honolulu, HI 96825

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (14)
Yelp
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Estate Planning of Honolulu, L.L.L.C., is a legal firm that offers several services, including trust amendment which involves a discussion on intended beneficiaries and assets. Furthermore, the company helps clients properly draft estate plans to avoid probate and minimize taxes. It provides assistance in creating documents such as powers of attorney and health care directives. Estate Planning of Honolulu is headed by Michael J. Madison, who founded the firm with the goal of protecting families from probate and excessive taxes.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Michael Madison - PrincipalActive9 yrs

1585 Kapiolani Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96814

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Headquartered in Honolulu, Mission Financial Group is a team of financial advisors helping individuals make custom retirement plans. Its professionals work closely with clients to discuss retirement questions, establish their goals, and provide tailored solutions. They offer a step-by-step process in creating plans and guidance in monthly monitoring and making necessary adjustments. Nick Abbott, the company's managing partner, has over a decade of insurance planning and investment experience. He holds the Accredited Asset Management Specialist and Accredited Investment Fiduciary designations.

  • Estate Planning

Honolulu, HI 96813

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (5)
Yelp
4.0 (5)
FindLaw
4.0 (5)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Curtis B. K. Yuen is a practice that offers quality legal assistance to individuals and businesses in the Honolulu area. The firm represents clients in a broad range of practice areas, including corporate and business law, estate and gift tax, estate planning, probate, real estate, as well as wills and trusts. Founder, Curtis B. K. Yuen, is a member of the Hawaii Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Curtis Yuen - PrincipalActive35 yrs

Honolulu, HI 96814

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
3.5 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Okura & Associates is an estate planning firm that provides high-quality legal services to clients in the Honolulu area. Their attorneys are well-versed in representing individuals in a variety of legal matters, including asset protection, estate planning, Medicaid planning, elder law, probate, and trust settlement. Readers voted Okura & Associates as the Hawaii Tribune-Herald's Best Law Office in 2009.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Ethan Okura - PresidentActive19 yrs

Honolulu, HI 96816

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Pacific Estate Solutions is an estate planning firm that offers financial and legal guidance to clients throughout the Honolulu area. Their team has over 17 years of experience in providing estate planning services, including Medicaid planning, life insurance, wealth transfers, wills and trusts, estates, retirement planning, financial consulting, and investment management. Pacific Estate Solutions provides free initial consultations.

Honolulu, HI 96813

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Matsumoto Law Group is an estate planning firm that provides client-focused legal solutions to individuals and families in the Honolulu area. The company offers a spectrum of estate planning services, including revocable trust agreement, short form trust, power of attorney, conveyance documents, advanced health care directives, protective planning, and trust administration. Matsumoto Law Group offers free initial consultations.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
John Matsumoto - PrincipalActive23 yrs

Honolulu, HI 96813

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (10)
Avvo
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Sterling & Tucker, L.L.P. is an estate planning and elder law firm that offers personalized legal solutions to individuals and families throughout the Honolulu area. This team is highly trained in a spectrum of legal matters, including estate planning, legacy planning, living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, irrevocable trusts, incapacity planning, elder law, and special needs planning. Sterling & Tucker, L.L.P. provides free initial consultations.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Michelle Tucker - Co-Founder and PartnerActive43 yrs
Michelle Hobus - PartnerActive21 yrs
Lauren Santos - AssociateActive15 yrs
Wendy Glaus - AssociateActive24 yrs
Kanani Makaimoku - PartnerActive19 yrs
Richard Sakoda - PartnerActive32 yrs

Honolulu, HI 96826

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
3.5 (16)
Google
5.0 (3)
Avvo
4.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Scott C. Suzuki, Attorney at Law is an estate planning attorney who provides customized legal services to individuals and families in the Honolulu area. He has substantive experience in an array of practice areas, including estate planning, elder law, special needs planning, probate, conservatorships, guardianships, and long-term care planning. Scott C. Suzuki, Attorney at Law is a member of the Hawaii State Bar Association and the Hawaii Estate Law Group.

Kaneohe, HI 96744

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Bill Paupe, Jr. is a practice that has been representing clients in the Honolulu metro area for over 14 years. This team specializes in matters involving estate planning and probate, and is well-versed in drafting and executing last wills and testaments, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, and advanced health care directives. The Law Office of Bill Paupe, Jr. offers free initial consultations.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Bill Paupe - PrincipalActive21 yrs

1585 Kapiolani Blvd Ste 1111, Honolulu, HI 96814

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.9 (76)

Why choose this provider?

Estate Planning Group is a law firm that provides compassionate estate planning services to families and individuals in the Honolulu area. This team specializes in estate planning, probate, Medicaid planning, guardianship, and special needs planning. Additional legal services include revocable living trusts, planning for incapacity, durable power of attorney, and advanced directive. Estate Planning Group conducts free seminars and free initial consultations.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Michelle Ogata - PrincipalActive23 yrs

1585 Kapiolani Blvd Ste 1230, Honolulu, HI 96814

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.0 (10)
Google
5.0 (6)
Facebook
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Rowen N. Young handles drafting wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and health care and financial powers of attorney and assists with planning for Medicaid and gift and estate taxes. With more than 35 years of experience, sole practitioner Rowen also handles real property deeds and transfers for clients in the Honolulu area. In addition, the firm helps clients establish limited liability companies. Young lectures and hosts a radio show focused on estate and tax planning.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Rowen Young - PrincipalActive44 yrs

Honolulu, HI 96813

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Yee & Kawashima, L.L.L.P. is a law firm that provides estate and trust services to individuals and families in the Honolulu area. The legal team has extensive experience in handling legal matters, including estate planning, trust and probate administration, trust and probate litigation, and multi-employer trust funds. Honolulu Magazine named the attorneys at Yee & Kawashima, L.L.L.P. the Best Lawyers in Hawaii in 2013.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Jared Kawashima - PartnerActive30 yrs

Compare our Top Estate Planning Lawyers

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel
999 Bishop St Ste 1600, Honolulu, HI 96813
Law Office of Richard M. Sakoda
945 Makaiwa St, Honolulu, HI 96816
Law Offices of George Nam
Aiea, HI 96701
Law Office Of Keoni Souza LLC
1188 Bishop Street, Suite 2706, Honolulu, HI 96813
Estate Planning of Honolulu, L.L.L.C.
Honolulu, HI 96825
Mission Financial Group
1585 Kapiolani Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96814
Law Offices of Curtis B. K. Yuen
Honolulu, HI 96813
Okura & Associates
Honolulu, HI 96814
Pacific Estate Solutions
Honolulu, HI 96816
Matsumoto Law Group
Honolulu, HI 96813
Sterling & Tucker, L.L.P.
Honolulu, HI 96813
Scott C. Suzuki, Attorney at Law
Honolulu, HI 96826
Law Office of Bill Paupe, Jr.
Kaneohe, HI 96744
Estate Planning Group
1585 Kapiolani Blvd Ste 1111, Honolulu, HI 96814
Law Offices of Rowen N. Young
1585 Kapiolani Blvd Ste 1230, Honolulu, HI 96814
Yee & Kawashima, L.L.L.P.
Honolulu, HI 96813

Disclaimer:  Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

FAQs

  • What does an estate planning attorney do?

    An estate consists of the total assets that form an individual’s net worth, no matter how large or small. Estate planning attorneys use their in-depth knowledge of state and federal laws to help people best manage what will happen with their estates after they die or become incapacitated. Estate planning attorneys can prepare wills, form trusts, reduce estate tax burdens, and decrease or eliminate the need for probate court.

  • What are valuable estate planning services an attorney can provide?

    With the many intricacies of assets, taxes, and state and federal laws that can affect a person’s estate, an estate planning lawyer can be a valuable professional asset, no matter how large or small a person’s estate may be. An estate planning attorney can:

    • Create a comprehensive plan to protect a client's legacy, that includes a will, power of attorney, trusts, life insurance, and advanced medical directives
    • Optimize an estate plan as tax laws, life events, assets, and goals change over time
    • Protect a client’s loved ones by preventing assets from entering probate
    • Help clients designate a person to make important health decisions for them if they become incapacitated

  • Can estate planning attorneys help create trusts/wills?

    Estate planning attorneys can create trusts and wills. Through a will, an attorney can help a client designate their estate’s beneficiaries and assign an executor to represent the will in probate court. These attorneys can also create trusts, allowing a client to assign a trustee to oversee the estate, potentially avoiding probate court and holding assets to be distributed over time.

  • Is estate planning the same as drafting a will?

    While both estate plans and wills officially document how their owners wish to allocate certain assets after their death, there are key differences. In estate planning, a will is often just one of several documents that form a comprehensive plan. In a will, people must designate a person responsible for executing their will after their death. The will can include guardians for their children when they die and beneficiaries to receive an inheritance of money, property, and other assets.

  • What are the steps involved in estate planning?

    To create a thorough and effective estate plan, individuals should follow these steps:

    • Prepare a will that designates an estate executor; indicate who will receive what assets, and assign a trust and guardians for any children. Consider using an attorney if the will is in any way complex.
    • To avoid probate, have an attorney create a revocable living trust.
    • Assign beneficiaries to other assets, such as life insurance policies, retirement plans, and securities.
    • Use an attorney to prepare a living will, name a health care proxy, and create a HIPAA release form.
    • Update the plan every five years.

  • How long does the estate planning process last?

    The length of the process can vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the estate, the specific law office, and whether there’s an emergency or urgent need. If you’re using an attorney, you can generally expect it to take one to five weeks. You may be able to speed up the process by immediately providing your attorney with any bank statements or other documents they need.

  • What is a trust?

    A trust is an agreement between a grantor, a trustee, and a beneficiary. In this agreement, the grantor allocates funds or real property assets to the trustee to be held either until the grantor passes away or until a specific, agreed-upon date. At that point, it's the responsibility of the trustee to distribute funds or property to the beneficiary or beneficiaries. While there are similarities between a will and a trust, a will is a more comprehensive document that typically requires probate court, while a trust allows assets to pass to the beneficiary without probate.