Estate Planning Attorney in Honolulu
We build complete estate plans for Hawaiʻi families and multi-state property owners, meeting entirely by phone and video, so the plan gets finished instead of sitting on the list of things you will get to eventually.
What a Complete Hawaii Estate Plan Includes
Most people arrive knowing they need "something" and not knowing which document does what. Four pieces cover the large majority of situations, and they handle two separate problems: what happens when you die, and what happens if you are alive but unable to act.
Last will and testament
Directs who receives what, names your executor, and names guardians for minor children. Executed as a self-proving will so your family does not have to locate witnesses later.
Revocable living trust
Holds assets, most importantly Hawaiʻi real property, so they transfer without probate. Also lets a successor trustee manage things for you if you cannot.
Durable power of attorney
Authorizes someone you choose to handle financial and legal matters if you become unable to. Without one, your family may need a court to appoint a conservator.
Advance health-care directive
Records your medical wishes and names who speaks for you if you cannot speak for yourself. This is the document families are most grateful for and most often missing.
Not every client needs all four in their fullest form. We build the plan around what you own and who depends on you, and we tell you which pieces you can skip.
When Your Life Spans More Than One State
This is where Hawaiʻi planning gets specific. Owning a condo on Oʻahu and a house on the mainland is common, and it is also the fastest route to two separate probate proceedings, in two states, under two sets of rules, with two sets of fees.
Jonathan Parker is licensed in Hawaiʻi, Florida, and New Jersey, admitted in Florida and New Jersey in 1988 and in Hawaiʻi in 2011, with 38 years in practice. For clients whose assets touch those states, that means one attorney coordinating one plan rather than a Hawaiʻi firm and a mainland firm each drafting around the other. Where a fourth state is involved, we coordinate with local counsel and keep the plan consistent instead of letting the documents contradict each other.
Our broader
estate planning page covers the full process and education side for clients in all of our markets.
How the Process Works From Anywhere in Hawaii
Step 1: Initial consultation, by phone or video
We ask what you own, where it sits, and who depends on you. You ask whatever you need to. By the end you know what documents you need and what the work will cost.
Step 2: Drafting
We prepare the documents and send them with plain-language notes on every decision point. Nothing is presented as boilerplate you are expected to sign unread.
Step 3: Review and revision
We go through the draft together and change what needs changing. Most clients revise something at this stage, usually a trustee or a distribution term.
Step 4: Signing
We give you exact execution instructions, including witness and notary requirements. Clients on Maui, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island complete this where they live.
Step 5: Funding and follow-through
For anything involving a trust, we handle the Hawaiʻi deed work and give you a written checklist of the remaining transfers so the plan actually holds the assets it was built for.
Know What This Costs Before You Start
Unpredictable legal bills are the single most common reason estate planning gets postponed, so we quote the work before we begin it. We offer flat-fee pricing wherever the matter allows it, which covers most standard wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and directives.
If your situation turns out to need more than a standard package, we tell you that during the first conversation rather than after the invoice. You will not find out mid-project that the number moved.
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Where to Go From Here
Estate planning in Hawaiʻi usually starts with one specific worry rather than a general intention. If yours is a document you need drafted, these pages go straight to it:
- Honolulu wills for drafting a new will or reviewing a mainland one
- Honolulu trusts for keeping Hawaiʻi real property out of probate
- Honolulu probate if someone has already died and you are the one handling it
- Honolulu business planning if a business is part of what you are planning around
Common Questions About Estate Planning in Hawaii
How much does an estate plan cost in Hawaii?
It depends on whether a trust is involved and how many states your assets touch. We quote the full fee before starting and offer flat-fee pricing wherever the work allows, so you are comparing a number rather than an hourly estimate. A single conversation is usually enough for us to give you that number.
Can I do estate planning remotely in Hawaii?
Yes. Consultations, drafting, and review are all handled by phone or video, which is how most of our Hawaii clients work with us, including those on Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii Island. Signing requires witnesses and a notary physically present, and we give you specific instructions for arranging that locally.
Do I need a Hawaii attorney if my estate plan was drafted on the mainland?
Often, yes, though usually to review rather than replace. Hawaii generally honors documents validly executed elsewhere. The gaps we find are practical ones: Hawaii real property never addressed, an out-of-state executor, or a power of attorney a Hawaii bank will not accept.
What happens if I do nothing?
Hawaii's intestacy statutes decide who inherits, the Circuit Court supervises the transfer, and the court chooses who administers your estate. If you become incapacitated without a power of attorney or directive, someone will likely need to petition the court for authority to act for you.
How often should I update my estate plan?
Review it after any marriage, divorce, birth, death, move to a new state, or significant purchase or sale of property. Absent those, every three to five years is a reasonable rhythm. Small updates are inexpensive; discovering a stale plan after the fact is not.
One Conversation Gets You a Real Answer
Tell us what you own, where it is, and who you are planning for. We will tell you what your plan needs, what it does not, and what it costs, in one conversation, from wherever you are.