Tacoma Estate Planning Lawyers
Trusted Tacoma estate planning counsel for blended families, Port of Tacoma business owners, and real-estate-heavy estates across Lakewood, University Place, Puyallup, and Gig Harbor.
Serving Tacoma, University Place, Lakewood, Fircrest, and communities throughout Washington.
Schedule a ConsultationOverview
Tacoma Estate Planning & Trusts
Estate planning is about more than just documents. It's about protecting the people you love and ensuring your wishes are carried out. Your estate planning lawyer creates a comprehensive estate plan that addresses asset protection, incapacity planning, and wealth transfer while minimizing taxes and avoiding probate where possible. A properly structured trust can help your family avoid the probate process entirely — preserving privacy, reducing costs, and ensuring a seamless transfer of assets.
What We Offer
Wills & Living Trusts
Foundational documents that direct how your assets will be distributed and who will care for minor children.
Revocable Living Trusts
Avoid probate, maintain privacy, and provide for seamless asset management during incapacity.
Irrevocable Trusts
Asset protection, tax planning, and Medicaid planning through various irrevocable trust structures.
Powers of Attorney
Financial and healthcare powers of attorney that ensure someone you trust can act on your behalf.
Healthcare Directives
Living wills and advance medical directives that communicate your medical treatment preferences under state law.
Beneficiary Designations
Review and coordinate beneficiary designations across retirement accounts, life insurance, and other assets.
Estate Planning & Trusts in Tacoma
Tacoma, WA Estate Planning Lawyers
From JBLM-adjacent defense contractors in Lakewood to MultiCare physicians in Tacoma's Stadium District and charter captains out of Gig Harbor, the South Sound is built on people whose estates are more complicated than a simple form will can handle. Our Tacoma estate planning lawyers build plans that account for community property, retirement accounts, closely held businesses, and the Washington estate tax exemption that catches far more Pierce County families than they expect. Whether you are entering a second marriage, raising children from a prior relationship, or holding rental property along Ruston Way, estate planning in Tacoma needs to be drafted for Washington law specifically — not pulled from an online template.
The Tacoma estate planning lawyers at Relevant Law draft revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, durable powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and community property agreements under RCW Title 11. For business owners, we coordinate buy-sell agreements and entity governance under the Washington Business Corporation Act so the operating company and the estate plan actually speak to each other. We also handle Washington estate tax planning for estates approaching or exceeding the state exemption, including credit shelter trusts, gifting strategies, and disclaimer planning calibrated to Washington's standalone estate tax regime.
Relevant Law works as embedded advisory counsel rather than transactional drafters — we use transparent flat-fee pricing for most estate plans, and our multi-state network across Virginia, Washington, and Colorado means clients with property or family in other jurisdictions get coordinated counsel under one roof. Our lawyers live and work in Washington and meet clients in Tacoma, by video, or at your business. Call (425) 655-7875 to schedule a consultation.
Why Choose Us
The Relevant Law Difference
- 1Personalized planning based on your family situation and goals
- 2Comprehensive approach that coordinates all estate planning documents
- 3Deep experience with state-specific probate, trust, and estate tax law
- 4Ongoing relationship to update your plan as life changes
Recognition & Trust
Relevant Law is trusted Tacoma estate planning counsel for South Sound families and business owners, working as embedded advisors with transparent flat-fee pricing across our Virginia, Washington, and Colorado offices.
Why Tacoma, WA clients choose us
- Lawyers who live and work in Washington and draft to RCW Title 11 and the Washington Business Corporation Act
- Transparent flat-fee pricing on wills, revocable living trusts, and powers of attorney
- Multi-state network across Virginia, Washington, and Colorado for clients with out-of-state property or family
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About Estate Planning & Trusts
How much does estate planning cost in Tacoma?
Most Tacoma estate plans at Relevant Law are handled on transparent flat-fee pricing, typically ranging from roughly $1,800 for a will-based plan to $3,500-$6,500 for a revocable living trust package depending on complexity. Plans involving Washington estate tax planning, business succession, or blended-family trusts are quoted after an initial consultation. The flat fee covers drafting, signing, and funding instructions for the trust. We quote the full fee in writing before any work begins.
Do I need a trust or just a will in Washington?
Many Washington residents do fine with a will because Washington has a relatively streamlined probate process compared to states like California. A revocable living trust still makes sense in Tacoma when you own real estate in multiple states, want privacy, have a blended family, hold rental property, or are planning around the Washington estate tax. A Tacoma living trust lawyer can run the cost-benefit analysis based on your actual assets rather than defaulting to one approach. The right answer often depends on whether you own property outside Washington.
Can I find an estate planning lawyer near me in Tacoma who handles probate avoidance?
Yes — our Tacoma trust lawyer team designs plans specifically to avoid or minimize probate under RCW Title 11. Strategies include funded revocable living trusts, community property agreements between spouses, transfer-on-death deeds for Washington real estate, and proper beneficiary designations on retirement and brokerage accounts. For South Sound clients in University Place, Puyallup, Federal Way, and Gig Harbor, Tacoma probate avoidance is one of the most common reasons people engage us. We also coordinate with your CPA and financial advisor so the plan actually funds correctly.
What powers of attorney do I need in Tacoma?
Every adult in Washington should have a durable financial power of attorney and a healthcare power of attorney with an advance directive. Powers of attorney in Tacoma are governed by Washington's Uniform Power of Attorney Act and need specific statutory language to be honored by banks, MultiCare, CHI Franciscan, and other institutions. We draft both documents as part of every estate plan, along with HIPAA authorizations and, where appropriate, a separate mental health directive. These documents prevent costly guardianship proceedings if you become incapacitated.
How does Washington estate tax planning work?
Washington imposes its own estate tax on estates exceeding the state exemption — separate from and lower than the federal exemption — which catches many Tacoma homeowners and business owners by surprise. Planning techniques include credit shelter (bypass) trusts for married couples, lifetime gifting, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and charitable strategies. Because Washington does not have a portability provision like federal law, married couples in Tacoma should affirmatively plan to use both spouses' state exemptions. We model the tax impact before recommending a structure.
Can a Tacoma wills and trusts lawyer help with a blended family or second marriage?
Yes — blended families are one of the most common reasons clients hire our Tacoma estate planning lawyers. We use QTIP trusts, separate property agreements, and carefully drafted beneficiary designations to provide for a current spouse while protecting children from a prior relationship. Washington's community property rules make this planning especially important, because assets acquired during the second marriage can unintentionally disinherit children from the first. We map out who gets what, in what order, and with what controls before drafting begins.
Related Resources
Estate Planning Guides from Relevant Law
Foundations
Estate Planning: Why Every Adult Needs a Plan and How to Start
What an estate plan includes, why you need one, and how to get started.
Trusts
Revocable Living Trusts: Strategic Estate Planning for Modern Families
When trusts make sense, what they accomplish, and when simpler tools are a better fit.
Estate Tax
The New $15M Estate Tax Exemption: What It Means for Your Wealth
How the new permanent federal exemption reshapes wealth planning for families.
Business Owners
Business Succession Planning: A Strategic Framework for Ownership Transition
Valuation, legal structures, and tax planning for owners transitioning the business into their estate plan.
Areas We Serve
Estate Planning & Trusts Services Across Washington
The Tacoma team provides estate planning & trusts services throughout Washington. Tacoma is served by Relevant Law's Bellevue regional hub.Whether you're located in University Place, Lakewood, Fircrest, or anywhere in the surrounding area, your lawyer provides the same high-quality legal services.
Practice Breadth in Tacoma
We also help Tacoma businesses with formation, contracts, M&A, and succession — so the same trusted office handles both your family plan and your company's legal foundation.
Also Available
Business Law
Formation, contracts, M&A, and ongoing advisory counsel for Tacoma businesses.
Also Available
Business Formation
LLC and corporation formation, operating agreements, and entity structuring for Tacoma founders.
Also Available
Contracts & Agreements
Commercial contract drafting, review, and negotiation for Tacoma businesses.
Also Available
Mergers & Acquisitions
Buy-side and sell-side M&A support for Tacoma owners and acquirers.
Also Available
Business Succession
Buy-sell agreements, transition planning, and exit strategy for Tacoma business owners.
Also Available
Wills, Trusts & Estates
Personal wills and trust planning for individuals across Tacoma.
Ready to Schedule a Consultation?
Schedule a consultation to discuss your estate planning & trusts needs. Serving Tacoma, University Place, Lakewood, Fircrest and communities throughout Washington.
Washington Disclosure
The Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize specialties in the practice of law, and no representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.
Relevant Law offices are independently owned and operated by licensed attorneys.