Estate Planning Built Around Your Family, Not a Formula
Estate planning in Washington, DC isn't complicated because the documents are hard to understand. It's complicated because no two families are the same — and most attorneys treat them like they are.
Planning That Begins With a Conversation, Not a Checklist
Before we recommend a single document, we need to understand your family. That's not a philosophy statement — it's how we structure every engagement.
The estate planning process at Kith + Kin Law begins with a free 15-minute discovery call. No preparation required. We talk about what's prompting you to plan and how our approach works. From there, clients move into a Life & Legacy Planning Session — a structured, paid session where we examine your family dynamics, your goals, your finances, and the values and stories you want your plan to carry forward.
Only after that session do we recommend a plan tier. We offer three: a will-based plan for families whose circumstances are well-served by a properly executed will and supporting documents, a trust-based plan for families whose estates benefit from avoiding DC Superior Court probate or who need more flexible asset management, and a proactive Medicaid and long-term care planning package for families planning ahead for long-term care costs and Medicaid eligibility.
Your plan is built from what we learn together. It is not selected from a menu.
When your plan is complete, the relationship doesn't end. Every three years, we reach out to you — not the other way around — to review your plan and make sure it still reflects your life. That review is complimentary, and we initiate it. You don't have to remember to ask.
What Your Estate Plan Will Include
Every component in your plan serves a specific purpose within the full picture of your family's circumstances.
These are not documents you purchase individually — they are instruments that work together.
A will directs where your assets go after you pass and, critically, who raises your minor children if you're not here to do it. In Washington, DC, a valid will must meet specific witnessing and notarization requirements. A will that doesn't satisfy DC's formalities may be challenged or disregarded entirely. We make sure yours holds.
A properly funded revocable living trust allows your estate to transfer to your beneficiaries without passing through DC Superior Court probate — which is a public process that takes time, costs money, and creates exposure your family can avoid with the right structure. A trust also provides continuity if you become incapacitated before you pass.
Power of Attorney
A durable power of attorney designates someone to manage your financial affairs if you are unable to do so yourself. Without one, your family may need to petition DC Superior Court for guardianship of your assets — a process that is slow, expensive, and avoidable.
Healthcare Directives
Your advance healthcare directive — including a living will and healthcare proxy — tells the medical system what you want if you can no longer speak for yourself, and names someone you trust to make those decisions. This document protects your family from having to guess.
Guardianship Designations
If you have minor children, naming a guardian is the most urgent estate planning decision you can make — regardless of your net worth. Without a designation, a DC court decides who raises your children. That decision belongs to you.
Legacy Planning and Legacy Interviews
Every plan at Kith + Kin Law includes a Legacy Interview — a structured, guided conversation that captures your stories, your values, and your family history alongside your legal documents. Your will directs where your assets go. Your Legacy Interview gives your family something a will cannot: your voice, your intentions, and the story behind the choices you made for them. No DC estate planning firm has built this into their planning model the way we have.
What DC Families Should Know About Estate Planning Law Here
Estate planning law is state-specific, and Washington, DC has its own rules that national content and out-of-state attorneys frequently get wrong.
DC will formalities: A valid will in Washington, DC must be signed in the presence of two witnesses who also sign the document. Notarization is not required for validity but is required to make a will self-proving — which simplifies the probate process significantly. A will that doesn't meet DC's execution requirements can be contested or invalidated.
DC estate tax threshold:
Washington, DC imposes its own estate tax, separate from the federal estate tax, on estates valued above approximately $4 million. Families with estates approaching that threshold benefit from proactive planning that accounts for both DC and federal exposure.
DC Superior Court probate: Estates that pass through a will — rather than a fully funded trust — are subject to DC Superior Court probate, a public court-supervised process. A properly funded revocable living trust allows an estate to transfer directly to beneficiaries, bypassing probate entirely and preserving privacy and speed for your family.
We build plans that account for DC's specific legal environment. Generic estate planning templates do not.
Why Clients Trust Us With Their Estate Plans
Questions DC Families Ask About Estate Planning
Do I need a will or a trust in Washington, DC?
It depends on your family's circumstances — which is exactly what the Life & Legacy Planning Session is designed to determine. A will is legally valid in DC and sufficient for many families, but it subjects your estate to DC Superior Court probate. A revocable living trust allows your estate to transfer to your beneficiaries without probate, preserves privacy, and provides continuity if you become incapacitated. Some families need both. We recommend after we understand your situation, not before.
How much does estate planning cost in Washington, DC?
Our fees are tied to the plan tier we recommend after your Life & Legacy Planning Session. We don't publish flat rates in advance because the right plan varies significantly based on your family's circumstances — and we won't recommend a tier before we understand your needs. Fee transparency is a firm value. You'll know exactly what your plan costs before any work begins.
When should I update my estate plan?
Any significant life change warrants a review: marriage or divorce, a new child, a home purchase, a substantial shift in your financial picture, a parent's illness, or the death of a named beneficiary or executor. We initiate a complimentary review with every Kith + Kin Law client every three years — and if something changes in between, we want to hear from you.
What happens to my estate in DC if I die without a will?
DC intestacy law governs how your assets are distributed. The state's formula may not reflect what you would have chosen — and it gives you no ability to designate a guardian for your minor children. A court makes that decision. Dying without a plan doesn't protect your family from hard decisions; it just removes you from making them.
How do I get started with an estate planning attorney in Washington, DC?
Schedule a free 15-minute discovery call. We'll talk about what's prompting you to plan, explain the process, and determine together whether we're the right fit. No preparation required.
Your Family Deserves a Plan
That Was Built for Them
A comprehensive estate plan in Washington, DC is one of the most direct expressions of care you can provide for your family. We'll make sure yours says exactly what you mean it to say.
