3 Estate Planning Goals for 2026 in Washington

Originally published March 6, 2014. Updated October 22, 2026.

Your estate planning goals for 2026 should reflect your family, your assets and the law in effect today. A plan prepared years ago may need attention after a marriage, divorce, birth, death, move or change in finances. Washington’s estate tax rules also changed during 2026, making it important to check more than the date on your documents.

Start with these three goals, whether you are reviewing an existing plan or preparing one for the first time.

1 Review your insurance and beneficiaries

Review your life and disability insurance with your insurance professional. Consider the income your family relies on, outstanding debts, caregiving needs and how long the coverage will last. Check premiums, benefit amounts and exclusions against the policy you actually have.

Life insurance is designed to pay a benefit to the named beneficiaries when the insured person dies. Confirm both your primary and backup beneficiaries, and review retirement-account beneficiary forms at the same time. Do not assume that changing your will or trust also updates those forms. Coordinate the designations with your attorney, particularly when a beneficiary is a minor, has a disability or may need help managing an inheritance. The Washington insurance commissioner’s life insurance guide explains how these policies work.

2 Update your estate planning documents

Gather your existing documents and ask whether they still carry out your wishes. Review your will and any trusts, the people named to act for you, and the instructions for your family. If you have a trust, review how your property is titled and whether the intended assets have been properly coordinated with it.

Your review should also include financial powers of attorney, a health care power of attorney and a health care directive. These documents address different needs. A health care power of attorney names someone to make health care decisions under the terms of the document, while a health care directive records instructions about certain end-of-life treatment. The Washington Attorney General’s guidance explains that distinction.

Confirm that the people you have chosen are still willing and able to serve, identify appropriate backups, and tell them where the relevant documents can be found. Our guide to how to make an estate plan can help you prepare for that conversation.

3 Plan for the next generation under current tax rules

Decide what you want an inheritance to accomplish. You may want to support education, help with housing or provide ongoing financial management for a family member. Discuss whether outright gifts, a trust or another arrangement fits those goals.

A revocable living trust does not, by itself, remove your assets from your taxable estate. Assets subject to a retained power to revoke generally remain included for federal estate tax purposes under Internal Revenue Code section 2038. The tax effects of any trust depend on its terms, funding and applicable law.

Washington estate tax in 2026

Washington’s exclusion amount and tax rates depend on the date of death:

• January 1 through June 30, 2026: The applicable exclusion amount was $3,076,000, with graduated rates from 10% to 35%.
• July 1 through December 31, 2026: The applicable exclusion amount is $3,000,000, with graduated rates from 10% to 20%.

The rates apply to the Washington taxable estate after allowable deductions, including the exclusion. The date a return is filed or an estate is settled does not select the rate schedule. The Washington Department of Revenue’s estate tax tables list both 2026 schedules. A filing requirement can exist even when deductions leave no tax due, because the filing threshold is based on the gross estate rather than the net estate.

Federal estate and gift tax in 2026

For U.S. citizens and residents, the federal estate and gift tax basic exclusion is $15 million per individual in 2026. Lifetime taxable gifts can reduce the exclusion available at death. This federal amount does not eliminate a separate Washington estate tax obligation. See the IRS estate and gift tax updates.

Federal portability may let a surviving spouse use a deceased spouse’s unused exclusion, generally through an election on a timely filed federal estate tax return. Washington does not provide portability of its state exclusion. Married couples should review their plan rather than assume both exclusions combine automatically. See the IRS portability guidance and Washington estate tax FAQ.

The 2026 annual gift tax exclusion is $19,000 per donor, per recipient, for qualifying present-interest gifts. A gift above that amount generally requires a federal gift tax return, but filing does not necessarily mean gift tax is due. Gifts in trust and other special situations require additional review. See the IRS explanation of the annual exclusion and gift tax reporting guidance.

Review your estate plan with our Federal Way office

Bring your current documents, an asset list, insurance information and beneficiary designations to your estate planning review. If you own property or have planning needs outside Washington, identify those connections so the applicable state laws can be considered.

The Law Offices of Christopher A. Benson can help you review your goals and planning options. Contact our Federal Way office for a free initial consultation.

This article provides general information based on law reviewed as of October 22, 2026. It is not legal or tax advice for a particular situation. Review your circumstances with your attorney and tax adviser before acting.