Founded by Steve Waltar in 2000, our mission is to help our clients and their families build and maintain effective estate plans, and to help those struggling with the loss of a loved one navigate the required legal processes. Our firm has been dedicated to serving the Puget Sound area for over 19 years.
Steve didn’t start his law career as an estate planning attorney, but after his mother-in-law passed away, Steve saw first-hand how the struggle of losing a loved one is exacerbated by lengthy and confusing legal procedures. He learned that the average person didn’t know what was required by law after the death of a family member, or how they could have prevented many of the stressful and expensive impacts through proper planning. Steve found his calling through helping his own family through this painful time and started our firm in 2000 to serve families like his. He not only wanted to help reduce the legal stress and confusion for families suffering a loss, but he wanted to help people plan their own estates in a way that would prevent their families from suffering like his had.
Steve assembled a team of like-minded professionals similarly dedicated to helping families. In the past 19 years, our team has served thousands of clients by helping them put effective estate plans into place. We never try to sell a client a more expensive plan if it does not suit their situation, and we pride ourselves in personalizing every estate plan to our client’s individual needs. We have also helped hundreds of clients through probates or trust administrations after the passing of their loved ones.
Our firm is dedicated to providing you with quality estate planning resources, so you can become familiar with all of the existing options. When you visit or call our office, we want you to feel comfortable discussing such an important issue concerning both you and your family. We want to arm you with the information you need to make an informed decision about your family’s future.
If you have a well-drafted estate plan in place, you’ll ensure that your estate passes to whom you want, when you want, and is carried out in the manner you’ve chosen. You can rest assured that your family won’t have to endure the public process and costly matter of probate. The government won’t be able to take what you’ve spent a lifetime building. But you need to be aware of the many options that exist in estate planning—and you must choose your attorney wisely.
That is why Legacy Estate Planning, LLC offers this wealth of free information and free seminars. Read our Estate Planning articles, and if you’re in the area, join us at an Estate Planning seminar. We want you to feel confident about the choices you make—let us be your guide on the path toward preserving your family’s future.
Estate Planning
Through the use of Living Trusts, Wills (simple and complex), Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Irrevocable Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships, and Charitable Gifting Strategies, our firm helps families preserve their wealth for future generations, minimize estate taxes, and avoid the expense and nightmare of probate.
We provide comprehensive, tailored estate planning services to meet all of our clients’ needs. Below is a sampling of the type of services we offer. If you have questions about any of our services, please do not hesitate to contact us or call us at (425) 455-6788.
Legacy Planning
Legacy Planning is a more holistic approach to estate planning. We help clients preserve their financial wealth and their legacy – including their life stories and family heirlooms – for future generations. Our non-traditional planning methods include special provisions and protections in Living Trusts, Wills (simple and complex), Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Irrevocable Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships, and Charitable Gifting Strategies. This planning also includes minimizing estate taxes, avoiding the expense and nightmare of probate, protecting against remarriage after death of the first spouse, and protecting beneficiaries from a possible future divorce.
Trust Administration & Probate
We help families who have experienced the loss of a loved one with the ensuing Probate or Trust Administration process.
Special Needs Planning
We offer assistance to clients who have special needs family members by creating Special Needs Estate Plans. These tailored plans help them preserve government benefits while having their loved one cared for in all areas of their life: financial, educational and medical, and most importantly, their emotional and personal needs in the future.
Financial Planning
We help clients preserve their wealth and achieve their long-term financial goals. We work closely with clients’ financial advisors to make sure their estate plan and their financial plan are coordinated and meet the clients’ goals.
Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
Our law firm offers estate planning assistance for the unique needs of Family Businesses and Farms. We help clients preserve this important part of their legacy for future generations.
Estate Planning for the LGBTQ Community
We offer guidance and assistance to members of the LGBTQ Community on their unique estate planning needs. This includes assistance in setting up Living Trusts and Health Care directives.
Incapacity Planning
Our law firm helps clients create a plan to handle their affairs in the event of an incapacity before they pass away. This includes planning to avoid a Living Probate or Guardianship proceeding.
IRA & Retirement Planning
Our law firm has experience in the complex area of estate planning with IRAs and other retirement plans. We help ensure clients and their beneficiaries are protected by employing tax reduction techniques.
Elder Law & Medicaid Services
We help clients qualify for government medical benefits legally and ensure their estates are preserved for their families, instead of their nest egg being wiped out by high nursing home expenses.
Asset Protection & Business Planning
We help clients who are small business owners and those who are most susceptible to being sued by assisting with Lawsuit and Asset Protection. We also assist with Business Succession Planning and Small Business Planning. Some of the tools and strategies used are Family Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, and Buy-Sell Agreements.
Estate Planning and Your Pets
Our firm cares about the welfare of your pets. Your beloved pets need to be protected in the event you are no longer there to take care of them. Estate Planning and implementing a Pet Trust can ensure that your pets are provided for after your death.
