what is the average hourly rate for a wa state estate planning lawyer

by Jasper Hill 8 min read

How much does a probate attorney charge per hour?

Real Estate: $288: Tax: $314: Traffic Offenses: $226: Trusts: $293: Wills & Estates: $248: ... The average hourly rate for a lawyer in Washington is between $175 and $378 per hour. ... The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Washington is $236 per hour.

How much does an attorney make in Washington State?

Apr 01, 2022 · The average salary for a attorney is $88,998 per year in Washington State. 132 salaries reported, updated at April 1, 2022.

How much does it cost to hire an estate attorney?

Feb 25, 2022 · The average Attorney I salary in Washington is $105,284 as of February 25, 2022, but the range typically falls between $89,754 and $121,788. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.

How are probate fees determined in Washington State?

Testamentary Special Needs Trust. $350/hr. Codicils and Trust Amendments. $1,750. Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust. $295-$395/hr. Transfer of Assets to a Trust. Note: The pricing for all documents includes only the drafting and signing of the initial document. Clients will be charged additional fees for any changes (codicils) or amendments made ...

How much do lawyers charge per hour in Washington State?

between $175 and $378 per hourHow much do lawyers charge in Washington? The typical lawyer in Washington charges between $175 and $378 per hour.

What is the most a lawyer can charge per hour?

Average Attorney FeesAttorney FeesHourly RatesNational Average Cost$225Minimum Cost$100Maximum Cost$1,000Average Range$100 to $300

How much does estate planning cost in Washington?

One fixed cost in Washington State is the Superior Court probate filing fee, which is currently between $200-300. Another fixed cost is the probate Notice to Creditors, which is approximately $100-200.

How much does a lawyer cost per hour?

What are Typical Attorney Fees. Throughout the United States, typical attorney fees usually range from about $100 an hour to $400 an hour. These hourly rates will increase with experience and practice area specialization.Aug 17, 2021

What is a true retainer fee?

In a “true” retainer fee arrangement, in exchange for the client's payment of an agreed-upon amount, the attorneys commit themselves to take on future legal work for the hiring client, regardless of inconvenience, other client relations, or workload constraints.

What is a lawyer retainer fee?

A retainer fee is then paid to secure the law firm's availability, typically in the form of a monthly fee calculated according to your legal needs and the law firm's usual hourly fee.Jul 22, 2015

How much does a probate lawyer cost in Washington state?

Hourly Fees In Washington, probate attorney fees usually range between $150 to $300 per hour. If you have a straightforward probate, then you can expect to pay around $2500 for the entire process, which is usually over within 8 months to a year. However, there may be additional fees that need to be paid.

How much does an estate have to be worth to go to probate in Washington state?

$100,000If the decedent died in with any of the following you may need to file a probate proceeding: Any real property titled in his or her own name, or. Personal property (usually a cash or securities account) titled in his or her own name only whose value exceeds $100,000.Apr 2, 2021

How long does an executor have to settle an estate in Washington State?

Probate in Washington typically takes six months to a year, depending on some choices the executor makes (discussed below). It can take much longer if there is a court fight over the will (which is rare) or unusual assets or debts that complicate matters.

How much do the best lawyers cost?

You can pay anywhere from $50 to thousands per hour. Smaller towns and cities generally cost less while heavily populated, urban areas are most expensive. The more complicated the case and the more experienced the attorney, the more you'll pay. Lawyer fees can range from $255 to $520 per hour.

How do I pay my hourly rate?

Business schools teach a standard formula for determining an hourly rate: Add up your labor and overhead costs, add the profit you want to earn, then divide the total by your hours worked. This is the minimum you must charge to pay your expenses, pay yourself a salary, and earn a profit.

How much do the most expensive lawyers cost?

Topping the list of the country's most expensive lawyers is Kirkland & Ellis partner Kirk Radke. The private equity and corporate counsel bills $1,250 per hour. The big billers tend to cluster in finance-related practices.Oct 4, 2017

What is the hourly rate of a lawyer in Washington?

The average hourly rate for a lawyer in Washington is between $175 and $378 per hour.

How much does a family lawyer charge in Washington?

The average hourly rate for a family lawyer in Washington is $236 per hour.

How much does a civil litigation lawyer charge in Washington?

The average hourly rate for a civil litigation lawyer in Washington is $294 per hour.

What is the highest paid type of lawyer in Washington?

Intellectual Property attorneys are the highest paid type of lawyer in Washington, earning $378 per hour on average.

What is the lowest paid type of lawyer in Washington?

Criminal attorneys are the lowest paid type of lawyer in Washington, earning $175 per hour on average.

Most common benefits

The average salary for a attorney is $86,969 per year in Washington State. 135 salaries reported, updated at February 17, 2022.

How much should you be earning?

Get an estimated calculation of how much you should be earning and insight into your career options. See more details

Common questions about salaries for an Attorney

To find out about the appropriate salary for an attorney, please visit Indeed's Salary Calculator to get a free, personalized pay range based on your location, industry and experience.

How much does an attorney make in 2021?

The average Attorney I salary in Washington is $105,216 as of June 28, 2021, but the range typically falls between $91,390 and $120,858. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on the city and many other important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.

What is the state of Washington?

Washington (/ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Washington is the northwestern-most state of the contiguous United States. It borders Idaho to the east, bounded mostly by the meridian running north from the confluence of the Snake River and Clearwater River (about 116°57' west), except for the southernmost section where the border follows the Snake River. Oregon is to the south, with the Columbia River forming the western part and the 46th parallel forming the eastern part of the Oregon-Washington border. To the wes...

What is an attorney I?

Attorney I reviews contracts involving leases, licenses, purchases, sales, insurance, etc., and reviews drafts of various agreements and documents. Provides legal advice to an organization, prepares resolutions, reports, guidelines and participates in major legal actions. Being an Attorney I works closely with other departments to foresee and protect company against legal risks. Participates in Legal department initiatives such as template agreement development and recommends to senior management on how to respond to legal issues or proposed changes in laws and regulations. Additionally, Attorney I requires a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school. Requires admittance to a state bar. Typically reports to a manager or head of a unit/department. The Attorney I work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. To be an Attorney I typically requires 0-2 years of related experience. (Copyright 2021 Salary.com)... View full job description

Is Oregon in the South?

Oregon is to the south, with the Columbia River forming the western part and the 46th parallel forming the eastern part of the Oregon-Washington border. To the wes... Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/17/2019). Read more from Wikipedia.

What is a married couple's estate tax plan?

This Plan is for married couples with assets over either the state or federal estate tax exemption limits . It avoids probate and allows the minimization of estate taxes due after the death of both spouses, and/or the deferment of state estate taxes. For families with sizeable assets, this plan can save hundreds of thousands of dollars for your heirs.

What is a medical power of attorney?

A Medical Power of Attorney (“Advance Directive”) with living will provisions. This Plan is for married couples with assets over either the state or federal estate tax exemption limits. It allows the minimization of estate taxes due after the death of both spouses, and/or the deferment of state estate taxes (Maryland only).

What is a family will plan?

The Family Will Plan is for families with minor children as well as for parents who wish to leave assets to their adult children in trust until they reach specified ages or other milestones.

What is advance directive?

A Medical Power of Attorney (“Advance Directive”) with living will provisions. Basic Wills leave your entire estate to one or more persons, and do not include specific bequests (except for general bequests of tangible personal property), provisions for minor children, or any trust provisions.

What does a probate attorney do?

And held: A probate attorney must assume the burden of proving that the hours charged to the estate are reasonable and necessary. A probate attorney is not entitled to additional fees to prove the reasonableness of his fee in a final report.

What happens to a representative after probate?

The Representative will serve without keeping track of his/her time and without formal compensation, and. Following the conclusion of the probate, the Representative for his/her contribution to the family will receive a “gift,” such as a paid vacation etc., from the non-serving heirs or beneficiaries.

What is the case of Trynin v. California?

Rptr. 93 (1989), held: An attorney is entitled to reasonable fees for services rendered in preparing or defending a request for probate attorney’s fees in California — the opposite as held by the Supreme Court of Washington in Larson.

What is compensation for personal representative?

Payment of compensation for the Personal Representative’s services often becomes an issue when there are multiple heirs or beneficiaries within the Decedent’s family and one (or some but not all) of them serves as Personal Representative. Usually, he/she is willing to serve, and the other members don’t want to serve and are happy for him/her to serve, and he/she doesn’t want to serve “for nothing,” and the others recognize that he/she is providing a service, that they are benefiting from it, and that it is only fair that he/she receive something for his/her service. Query: How much? What’s fair? Just what is “reasonable” compensation?

What is a personal representative?

An estate whose Personal Representative is its sole Heir or Beneficiary, and. A Personal Representative with otherwise negligible income tax liability in the year of receipt. Now let’s shift to issues expressly surrounding compensation for the Personal Representative’s attorney.

When was the personal representative compensation law changed?

In 1917, however, the legislature amended the law to provide for the compensation for both the Personal Representative and his/her attorney to be “such fee as the Court may seem just and reasonable.”. Probate Code of 1917 (Rem. Comp. Stat. § 1528).

Does the court interfere with attorney fees in probate?

Thus the fiduciary duties of the attorney run not only to the Personal Representative but also to the heirs.Generally, this Court will not interfere with an allowance of attorney fees in probate matters unless there are facts and circumstances clearly showing an abuse of the trial court’s discretion.

How much does an attorney charge per hour?

Attorney fees typically range from $100 to $300 per hour based on experience and specialization. Costs start at $100 per hour for new attorneys, but standard attorney fees for an expert lawyer to handle a complex case can average $225 an hour or more.

What is retainer fee?

An attorney retainer fee can be the initial down payment toward your total bill, or it can also be a type of reservation fee to reserve an attorney exclusively for your services within a certain period of time. A retainer fee is supposed to provide a guarantee of service from the lawyer you've hired.

How to avoid disagreements with your attorney?

Avoid disagreements with your attorney about how much you owe by taking the time to review your attorney fee agreement carefully. You may also hear this document called a retainer agreement, lawyer fee agreement or representation agreement. Either way, most states require evidence of a written fee agreement when handling any disputes between clients and lawyers. You must have written evidence of what you agreed to pay for anyone to hold you accountable for what you have or have not spent.

What is contingency fee?

An attorney contingency fee is only typical in a case where you're claiming money due to circumstances like personal injury or workers' compensation. You're likely to see attorney percentage fees in these situations to average around a third of the total legal settlement fees paid to the client.

What happens if you don't pay a flat fee?

However, if you don't comply with every single term listed on the flat fee contract, then your attorney still has the right to bill you for additional costs that may come up in your case. For instance, a flat fee lawyer working on an uncontested divorce case may still charge you for all court appearances.

What to ask when hiring an attorney?

When hiring your attorney, ask for a detailed written estimate of any expenses or additional costs. They may itemize each expense out for you or lump their fees all together under different categories of work. Lawyers may bill you for: Advice. Research.

Why is legal aid more affordable?

Legal aid billing rates are more affordable if the law firm has a sliding-scale payment system so that people only pay for what they can reasonably afford. Seeking out fixed fees in legal aid agencies is the best option for those in desperate need who cannot otherwise pay for a lawyer.

Total Fees Charged by Estate Administration Lawyers

In our survey, more than a third of readers (34%) said that their lawyers received less than $2,500 in total for helping with estate administration. Total fees were between $2,500 and $5,000 for 20% of readers, while slightly more (23%) reported fees between $5,000 and $10,000.

How Lawyers Charge for Probate and Other Estate Administration Work

The total fees that estates paid for legal services were based on one of three types of fee arrangements charged by attorneys for probate and other estate administration work: hourly fees, flat fees, and fees based on a percentage of the estate’s value.

Free Consultation With Probate Lawyers

More than half (58%) of the probate attorneys in our national study reported that they offered free consultations. The typical time for these initial meetings was 30 minutes, though the overall average was higher (38 minutes).