Updated March 29, 2026
Estate planning is how you decide who gets what, who makes decisions if you cannot, and who raises your kids — instead of leaving it to a judge. In Hawaii it also matters for taxes, because the state has its own estate tax on top of the federal one. Below are vetted Honolulu firms that draft wills, living trusts, and powers of attorney and guide families through probate, most offering a free first consultation.
Almost every adult benefits from at least a basic plan, but some situations make a lawyer essential. The goal is simple: make sure your wishes are followed, your family avoids a slow and public court process, and your estate does not pay more tax than it has to.
Talk to a Honolulu estate planning lawyer if any of these fit:
Two Hawaii features drive most planning here. First, Hawaii has its own estate tax — one of only a dozen-or-so states that do. It kicks in around a $5.49 million exemption and applies on top of the federal estate tax, with rates that climb into the double digits above the threshold. Families near that level often plan specifically to reduce it. Second, probate runs through the Circuit Court; for most Honolulu residents that is the First Circuit Court on O'ahu. Probate is the court process of validating a will and transferring assets, and it can take months and become part of the public record. A properly funded revocable living trust is the common tool Honolulu lawyers use to keep a home and other assets out of probate entirely, passing them privately and faster. Hawaii also recognizes transfer-on-death deeds and beneficiary designations that can move specific assets outside probate.
A solid plan is more than a will. Most Honolulu lawyers build a package: a will (or a living trust plus a "pour-over" will), a durable power of attorney so someone can manage your finances if you cannot, an advance health-care directive naming who makes medical decisions and stating your wishes, and beneficiary designations coordinated with the rest of the plan. If you use a trust, the lawyer also helps "fund" it — retitling your home and accounts into the trust — which is the step people most often skip and the reason some trusts fail to work. Plans should be reviewed every few years or after a major life change like a marriage, divorce, birth, or move.
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A large, long-established Honolulu firm with a trusts and estates team that handles everything from living trusts and wills to powers of attorney and health-care directives. A fit for larger or more complex estates wanting a deep bench.
An estate planning firm serving the Honolulu area on asset protection, estate planning, Medicaid planning, elder law, probate, and trust settlement. A good match for families combining estate planning with elder-care concerns.
A Honolulu firm focused on estate planning, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. A reasonable choice for individuals and couples wanting a straightforward, dedicated estate-planning practice.
A practice with more than 35 years of experience drafting wills and revocable and irrevocable trusts, plus health-care and financial powers of attorney, and planning for Medicaid and estate and gift taxes. A fit for clients with tax-sensitive estates.
A sole practitioner with three decades in estate planning, probate, and trust law, repeatedly named a Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" in Trusts and Estates for Hawaii. A strong fit for clients who also anticipate trust or probate disputes.
Most Honolulu estate planning is flat-fee so you can budget. A simple will-based plan commonly runs $300 to $1,000, while a revocable living trust package (trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, and health-care directive) typically runs $2,500 to $5,000 or more depending on complexity and whether tax planning is involved. Some matters, like probate administration or trust litigation, are billed hourly, often $250 to $500. Ask whether trust funding (retitling your home and accounts) is included in the flat fee, and how the firm charges if probate becomes necessary later.
For a standard plan, look for a lawyer who drafts wills and trusts day in and day out and who will actually help you fund the trust, not just hand you a binder. If your estate is near Hawaii's estate-tax threshold, or you own a business or out-of-state property, choose someone with real tax-planning experience. If you expect family conflict, a firm that also handles trust and probate disputes is worth the premium. Use the free consultation to ask what they would recommend and what it would cost as a package.
Tell us briefly about your family and what you own. We route a confidential request to a best-fit Honolulu estate planning firm in this directory. A plan made now spares your family a slow, public court process later.