Washington DC Estate Planning Resources

Estate planning in the District of Columbia follows rules that differ from those in Maryland, Virginia, and every state in the country. The District has its own estate tax with a threshold well below the federal exemption, its own probate court, and its own statutes governing wills, trusts, and advance directives. This resource library from Calvary International Law explains how each piece works in plain language, for District residents and for families holding assets in more than one country. If you would rather speak with a Washington DC estate planning attorney directly, our attorneys are available to review your situation.

Estate Planning Essentials

These guides cover the documents that form the foundation of nearly every plan, along with the decisions that determine whether those documents actually work when your family needs them.

What Is Estate Planning and Why Do You Need It? covers who needs a plan, what a complete plan includes, and what happens under District law when someone dies without one.

Last Will and Testament in Washington DC walks through the execution requirements under D.C. Code § 18-103, which requires a written will signed by the testator and attested by at least two credible witnesses, plus what a will can and cannot accomplish.

Understanding Trusts in Washington DC explains revocable and irrevocable structures, funding, and trustee duties. Families weighing a trust as their central planning vehicle can also speak with a DC trust lawyer.

Power of Attorney in Washington DC addresses financial authority, the difference between durable and non-durable grants, springing powers, and what an agent may and may not do.

Healthcare Directives and Living Wills in Washington DC covers advance directives, healthcare proxies, HIPAA authorizations, and how to record end-of-life preferences so providers will honor them.

Beneficiary Designations: What You Need to Know looks at retirement accounts, life insurance, and payable-on-death accounts, along with the naming errors that quietly override an otherwise sound will.

How to Choose an Executor or Trustee compares individual and corporate fiduciaries and sets out the qualifications that matter most when assets sit in several jurisdictions.

Guardianship for Minor Children in Washington DC explains how to name a guardian in your will, how standby guardianship works, and how the court evaluates an appointment.

Washington DC Estate Planning FAQs answers the ten questions our attorneys hear most often from District residents.

Protecting Your Assets and Family

Preserving what you have built is a separate discipline from transferring it. These pages address taxes, creditors, and family circumstances that require more than a standard will.

Estate Taxes: Federal and Washington DC Overview explains the District exclusion, which the Office of Tax and Revenue set at $4,988,400 for decedents dying in 2026, alongside the much higher federal exemption. Because the District threshold is not portable between spouses, married couples often need affirmative planning. Cross-border families should also review our guidance from a DC international tax planning lawyer.

Asset Protection Strategies in Washington DC covers creditor exposure, litigation risk, and long-term care costs. Clients with concentrated exposure often work with a DC asset protection lawyer or explore offshore trust structures.

Special Needs Planning in Washington DC addresses special needs trusts, ABLE accounts, and how to provide for a loved one without disqualifying them from means-tested benefits.

Planning for Blended Families explains QTIP trusts and other tools that balance a surviving spouse against children from a prior relationship.

The Probate Process

Probate in the District runs through the Superior Court, and the procedure depends heavily on the size and character of the estate.

What Is Probate and How Does It Work in Washington DC? sets out the timeline, the assets that pass through court, and the simplified track available under D.C. Code § 20-351 for estates valued at $80,000 or less, a threshold raised from $40,000 by the Strengthening Probate Administration Amendment Act of 2024.

How to Avoid Probate in Washington DC compares revocable trusts, joint ownership, beneficiary designations, and transfer-on-death arrangements.

Estate Administration: Duties of an Executor gives personal representatives a step-by-step account of inventory, creditor claims, tax filings, and distribution.

Contesting a Will in Washington DC covers undue influence, capacity, fraud, no-contest clauses, and how litigation typically unfolds.

Planning for Business Owners and High-Net-Worth Individuals

Business Succession Planning in Washington DC addresses buy-sell agreements, valuation, and family transitions. Owners structuring an eventual handoff can consult a DC business succession lawyer or review our business formation guidance.

Charitable Giving and Estate Planning explains charitable remainder and lead trusts, donor-advised funds, and the income and estate tax treatment of each.

Washington DC Government Resources

The Probate Division of the DC Superior Court handles decedents’ estates, guardianships, conservatorships, and trusts from Court Building A at 515 Fifth Street NW, and the Register of Wills accepts filings there. Estate tax returns are filed with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue, which requires Form D-76 within ten months of the date of death. Certified death certificates come from the DC Health Vital Records Division. Entity filings and good standing certificates are handled by the DLCP Corporations Division rather than a secretary of state, since the District has none. The D.C. Bar publishes public legal resources, and residents who need free assistance can contact Legal Aid DC or the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center. Older residents may qualify for help from Legal Counsel for the Elderly, which prepares wills and powers of attorney at no cost.

Local Washington DC Resources

Washington DC Probate Courts and Filing Requirements details court locations, required forms, filing fees, and the deadlines that personal representatives cannot afford to miss.

When Should You Update Your Estate Plan? identifies the life events that make a plan obsolete, including marriage, divorce, births, deaths, a move across state lines, a change in citizenship or residency, and amendments to District or federal law.

Talk to a Washington DC Estate Planning Attorney Today

Calvary International Law serves individuals, families, and business owners whose lives and assets cross borders. Founder Yonathan Amselem has been admitted to the D.C. Bar since 2014 and brings roughly twelve years of practice in international tax, cross-border estate planning, pre-immigration planning, and expatriation and exit tax matters. He earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law, is bilingual in English and Spanish, and has volunteered with USAID humanitarian relief efforts. Of Counsel Mark Pierce contributes more than forty years of experience across trust structuring, offshore asset protection, and business succession, including service as a former federal bankruptcy trustee for the District of Colorado. Whether your plan involves a single District residence or international holdings, we can help. Contact our office to schedule a consultation.