Wills, trusts, and probate from a West Seattle attorney whose fees are published before you ever pick up the phone. Kjersti works with individuals, couples, and executors across the Puget Sound.
5.0 from 124 Google reviews
Simple will package
$750 individual
First conversation
Free consultation
How you meet
Phone, in person, Zoom
Office
Alaska Junction
Getting started
Call (206) 932-1893 to set up a free consultation, or use the form at the bottom of this page. Briefly describe the service you are seeking and your availability for an appointment.
Request a time
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Reach Kjersti directly at (206) 932-1893, or write a few lines through the form. No intake maze, no call center.
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A sentence about the service you are after, plus your availability, is enough for her to prepare before you talk.
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By phone, in person at the Alaska Junction office, or over Zoom. Kjersti serves clients throughout Washington.
Services and fees
If you have real property, sizable intangible assets, or a child, estate planning is essential to ensure that your assets pass to your desired beneficiaries at death. Every service starts with a free consultation and is tailored to what you need.
A simple will for each client that designates beneficiaries for your real and personal property, writes out unintended beneficiaries, and names a personal representative to manage your estate upon your death.
Included for each client
Simple will
Durable power of attorney for finance
Durable power of attorney for health care
Health care directive
Disposition upon death instructions
For parents of minor children. Money left to your children is managed in a trust and restricted to education, health care, maintenance, and support until a set age. The will also names a guardian.
Amends an existing will without starting from scratch and rehauling the entire will. A good option for minor changes.
Lets a married couple avoid probate after the first spouse's death in Washington by stating that all assets are community. It is not right for every couple, so fit is assessed case by case.
A quit claim deed changes title to real property, which helps if you need to move a house or cabin into a revocable living trust. Drafted and recorded with the appropriate county.
Estate planning documents are also offered on an a la carte basis.
A way of settling estates that have no real property, under $100,000 in assets, and no debt. An alternative to probate in those situations.
For situations where neither probate nor an affidavit fits: recording a community property agreement with a death certificate and lack of probate affidavit, handling a transfer on death deed, or filing a will only.
Probate isn't fun, but I don't find it's worth doing much to avoid it in our state. Kjersti Stroup, on her FAQ page
Probate is a court process for settling estates, making sure creditors are paid and property is distributed. For people who died with a will, or intestate without one, and who had real property or sizable personal property, probate is generally required.
Most estates can be resolved with nonintervention powers in Washington, meaning that the courts stay hands off in the process. Kjersti Stroup
Not sure which one you need? That is what the free consultation is for.
Book a free consultation
When she is not writing a will or at the courthouse
Lives in the house her great-grandfather built
Skiing at Stevens Pass
Watching the Dawgs at Husky Stadium
Home with Scott, their daughter, and Wrigley the dogAbout Kjersti
Kjersti studied law to make a positive impact in people's lives, and she brings dedication, a hard work ethic, and compassion to every client relationship.
Before opening her own practice, she helped protect investors and promote markets as a compliance attorney for the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, and co-chaired the North American Securities Administrators Association Broker-Dealer Operations Project Group.
She was valedictorian of Everett High School, studied business administration and Norwegian at the University of Washington, and earned her Juris Doctor at Seattle University School of Law.
One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.
Arthur Ashe
Reviews
We thoroughly enjoyed working with Kjersti. She was both professional and down to earth, which we really appreciated. She was patient with us as we asked all our questions, and very clear in her explanations. We have recommended her to our family and friends.
I loved working with Kjersti for estate planning. She made it easy to understand. Was understanding, fast, reliable, and had common sense examples to share for context in decsison making. I never felt rushed despite that I was VERY slow and follow up.
Kjersti did a great job for me. She helped me after my partner's passing with probate issues, transfer of deed and updated health and financial documents for me. When the need arises I'll use Kjersti again.
Couldn't recommend Kjersti more highly. Professional, helpful, and incredibly patient as we took our time filling out paperwork. We were very happy with her service and would definitely go to her again!
Kjersti is both a trusted resource and a friend. We're grateful for her thoughtful guidance in helping to prepare our family's estate planning documents, and highly recommend her!
Frequently asked
Seven of the questions she answers most often, from her own FAQ page.
Have a question that is not here? Kjersti answers it on the phone, at no charge.
Ask KjerstiEstate planning isn't just for the rich. It encompasses creating a will, putting powers of attorney in place, and helping plan for your family and assets upon an incapacity and at death.
Creating a Last Will and Testament is the only way to name the person that will be your child's Guardian if you pass away while your child is a minor.
If you die without a will, you are considered to die "intestate," and there is a law in Washington that dictates how your assets pass at death. The law and order of inheritance is at RCW 11.04.015. People are often surprised that, if they die intestate, all of their community property goes to their spouse BUT only part of their separate property goes to their surviving spouse if they have children or parents alive.
If you have minor children, you absolutely still need a will to name a Guardian. If you don't have minor children, it is still a good idea to have a will as a safety net, in case any property is accidentally forgotten or the beneficiaries named on your accounts predecease you. It also then names the person that will settle your estate (also known as the Personal Representative) if there are any disputes that arise.
Probate is the court-administered process for settling your estate after death. Most estates can be resolved with "nonintervention powers" in Washington, meaning that the courts stay hands off in the process. Probate isn't fun, but I don't find it's worth doing much to avoid it in our state.
That depends. (I know, a very lawyerly thing to say.) If you have a Community Property Agreement or have your house deeded as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, you likely can avoid it. If not, probate may be needed to take your spouse off title to property.
Online wills aren't built for a specific state or your family situation and goals. They try to cover 50 states worth of law and error on the side of adding various trusts and provisions into your will that can actually make the probate process more difficult and can cause your assets to not pass in the way you wanted.
A lawyer that's directly working with you will be able to dig deeper into answers you give to questions and delve into your goals to give you documents that are consistent with Washington law and customized to you. Additionally, you don't know how many "wills" I've seen that people have gotten online and not executed properly so they aren't actually effective.
News and notes
"Beneficiary designations override a will and, if they aren't updated, even an ex-spouse may inherit."
Nine questions from Bear Mountain Capital, covering what pushes people to finally write a will, the mistakes Kjersti sees most, and when a revocable living trust is actually worth it.
Read the Q&A
A workshop-style episode of the Lady Party podcast with hosts Erin Quick and Megan VanDamm, walking through your will, a financial power of attorney, and a health care power of attorney, and what happens if you don't have them.
Listen to the episode
Call (206) 932-1893 to request a free consultation, or send a note. To help her best serve you, briefly describe the services you are seeking and your availability for an appointment.
4711 44th Avenue SW, Unit D-5
Seattle, WA 98116
In the Alaska Junction. Mailing: P.O. Box 16431, Seattle, WA 98116
Get directions
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific
Office hours, Monday to Friday, 9 to 5
Phone, in person, and remote (Zoom) services for clients throughout the state.
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Consultations run Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Pacific
