Katti and her assistants maneuvered what could have been a very messy probate into a very clear, concise and palatable experience. She was thorough, fair and offered good insight into each step of the way. My wife and I have utilized her expertise not only for probate but for our own personal will. I highly recommend Katti for a trustworthy experience and the piece of mind that goes with hiring competent counsel.
Katti Esp
In December of 2018 I suffered the devastating sudden loss of my husband of 45 years. Left with no will, no insurance and major business debt, I was led to Katti Esp. Thanks to her compassion, professionalism and amazing talents, I was able to sleep nights! It was over a year of probate and Katti was able to decrease my debt by what I call a miraculous amount. She is worth every $$ you pay. Thanks so much Katti!
ASSISTING CLIENTS WITH THE PROBATE PROCESS & IN DESIGNING & IMPLEMENTING ESTATE PLANS.
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Katti Esp has practiced law in Bellingham since 1996, designing and implementing individualized estate plans and assisting clients with the probate process. She collaborates with families and individuals and their financial planners to retain the greatest amount of wealth for family, friends, and charities. Katti also helps her clients limit the assets transferred to the government or unintended beneficiaries. She develops estate plans designed to reduce federal and state estate and gift taxes.
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Katti Esp also assists her clients with transferring closely held family businesses and regularly assists non-citizens with their estate plans. She is licensed to practice law in Washington and California.
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Katti Esp received her Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida. She earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Gonzaga University School of Law, where she received academic honors for her achievements in estate planning and secured transactions. Katti graduated fromWestern Washington Universitywith a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 2013 Katti received the Estate Planning Law Specialist designation from the Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc. an organization accredited by the American Bar Association.* In 2012, Katti received the Accredited Estate Planner designation from the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils.*
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* The Supreme Court of Washington does not recognize certification, of specialities in the practice of law and the certification, award or recognition is not a requirement to practice law in the state of Washington.
Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.
Posted by Kris | February 1, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Probate Made Simple
Katti and her assistants maneuvered what could have been a very messy probate into a very clear, concise and palatable experience. She was thorough, fair and offered good insight into each step of the way. My wife and I have utilized her expertise not only for probate but for our own personal will. I highly recommend Katti for a trustworthy experience and the piece of mind that goes with hiring competent counsel.
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Posted by Ellen | April 5, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Katti Esp
Katti Esp
In December of 2018 I suffered the devastating sudden loss of my husband of 45 years. Left with no will, no insurance and major business debt, I was led to Katti Esp. Thanks to her compassion, professionalism and amazing talents, I was able to sleep nights! It was over a year of probate and Katti was able to decrease my debt by what I call a miraculous amount. She is worth every $$ you pay. Thanks so much Katti!
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Posted by Veronica | March 23, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
recommendation
This lawyer amended our revocable trust several times, and prepared the estate tax returns on my husband;s death. As a former CPA who specialized in estate work I was impressed by her knowledge, and approach to her clients. She has been worth every penny spent.
Posted by Angela | February 19, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best Attorney in Bellingham for Estate Planning
As an attorney myself, I knew I wanted the best attorney to help my family prepare our wills and power of attorney forms. Katti and her staff were extremely helpful and patient with all of our detailed questions. I wouldn't hesitate to use her again, but probably won't need to since our wills were done so well!
Posted by Chuck | April 12, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Great Experience
Consulted with Katti on estate planning and a will. Very knowledgeable and efficient. Not the cheapest will around but we feel comfortable it is done correctly and will carry out our wishes.
Posted by Arleen | February 24, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Personable and Professional
In 2015, a friend recommended Katti Esp to write a Last Will and Testament for my husband and I. She was extremely pleasant, thorough, and professional. It eased our minds to create this Will and leave instructions for our family. In September of 2017, my father passed away. He and my mother (who had passed in 2011), had a Living Will. It was complicated to say the least. My brother was listed as executor but he wanted to pass that responsibility to me as he lives out of the country. Immediately, I thought of contacting Katti to help me sort out the instructions of the Living Will. My first question was about creating the legal documents to meet my brother's wishes and change executorship to me. She was again, pleasant, professional and a problem solver for me and my siblings. I hired her. She was worth every penny! Her staff is equally personable and professional. Katti and her staff provided specific documents that I needed to transfer executorship and prepared all other legal documents in order for me to collect investments and funds from the selling of my parents’ home. They filed the necessary documents required at the Court House. I highly recommend Katti Esp.
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Posted by Barry | January 17, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Comprehensive Will and Related Documents
We moved to WA recently and needed a new will. We hired Katti and are glad we did. We've done this before and this before and this was a much better experience (as well as less costly). Katti is very knowledgeable and experienced. We liked how organized she is and got the project done in a reasonable amount of time. We highly recommend her.
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Posted by anonymous | September 29, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Clear Explanations
I've worked with Katie twice, once in 2013 when she helped me create a Will and other documents, including setting up a Trust, and recently when I update the information. Her advice, suggestions, and clear verbal and written communications smoothed out the process.
Posted by Shawn | May 19, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Both parents estates
Both my parents passed six months apart in 2015, Katie and her professional team took excellent care of all proceedings.
I already have recommended her and her team to two of my friends and would to anybody
Else needing a professional estate lawyer
Posted by JM | January 21, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Professional, highly knowledgeable
She offered her years of expertise in estate planning, with much appreciated suggestions and the most up to date language for full legal protection of our assets.
Posted by Tami | February 29, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Katti Esp is an Excellant Attorney
My husband died unexpectedly in 2015 and I needed legal advise to determine if I needed to file for probate. I also needed to update my will and provide for my minor child. Katti reviewed all my information, explained my legal options, gave me advise on which would best for me. She explained each step of the process and listened to my concerns and answered all my questions. Katti is very thorough, knowledgeable, and caring. I would highly recommend her.
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Posted by anonymous | July 6, 2015
I highly recommend Katti Esp
Katti explained everything very thoroughly, and was very patient with our questions. She gave us the detailed advice we were looking for, and provided us with not only a will, but powers of attorney and advance directives. We have a "blended" family- 5 adult children between us from previous marriages- and now we can relax and know that everything is in order for them. She has given us great peace of mind.
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Posted by Leslie | June 19, 2015
Family wills
Katti made us comfortable with her immediately. We dealt with her on two different occasions, so we saw how she deals with the elderly (our mother) and then we hired her for our estate planning and final wills. She was very helpful, knowledgeable and very personable which put us at ease. I can and will recommend her with confidence in the future.
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Posted by Lucy | June 11, 2015
I am happy Katti Telstad Esp is my attorney!
I was going through a difficult and stressful time shortly after I began working with Katti Esp on my will revision. Katti was supportive, informative, extremely knowledgeable, and sought information for me from other attorneys when I had questions outside her area of expertise. Katti also listens well with full attention and gives excellent feedback. She follows through quickly and well with what she has said she will do. I trust her expertise. The will and additional documents were well prepared and she sent me a copy before the actual signing and clearly answered my questions about wording or concerns.
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Posted by Larry | May 26, 2015
Recommend her services.
My wife and I have known Katti for many years allowing us the opportunity to observe her professional work as she has represented many of Goodrich & Associates, LLC, clients.
She is very through and easy to communicate with.
As further testimony to her to her character and competence we had her update our personnel estate plan!
Larry Goodrich, CFP
Branch Manager Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.
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Posted by anonymous | June 4, 2014
Katti Esp Excellent Attorney
Katti Telstad Esp prepared my will & health care directives. She is very knowledgeable and did a great job of explaining everything. I will use her again.
Posted by Barbara | May 30, 2014
Estate planning by Katti Esp
Ms. Esp has been my attorney for over 10 years. During that time she has handled my husband 's and my estate planning. When my husband passed away she handled all of the legal and tax matters associated with the estate in an extremely satisfying and efficient manner. She has continually advised and guided my estate matters for these past several years. Her knowledge of both federal and state laws are excellent and keeps me informed of any changes that may be needed or required regarding the estate. I highly recommend Katti Esp for estate planning and all the needed legal issues that go along with wills and estates etc.
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Posted by anonymous | May 23, 2014
Positive review for Katti Telstad Esp
Ms. Esp established complex estate plans for my wife and myself, and for my wife's parents. She did so promptly and competently. My father-in-law's death caused a need for a complex and difficult series of property transfers that Ms. Esp handled in a very efficient and cost-effective manner. Finally, she helped establish separate trusts for the several beneficiaries, to address income flowing from properties both in Washington and in Iowa. She understood all the tax implications and got us through this whole complicated process with a minimum of fuss and cost. I highly recommend her.
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Posted by Ruth | May 22, 2014
Why Katti is my Attorney!
My husband and I went to Katti some years ago to update our wills, POA's ect. My husband was obviously failing, but was able to sign his own paperwork while still understanding what was happening. In 2012, it became time for him to go into a care facility. Katti guided me through the process of placing him, how to pay for it ect. and what to do at the time of his death in 2013. Because the paperwork was done and registered with the court the process was faster and easier. When I ran into anything I needed help with, she was there.........in spades! Would I recommend her? I have and will continue to do that as well as continuing to work with her myself.
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Posted by Matt | May 22, 2014
Katti's Review
Katti did an excellent job of discussing our end-of-life medical and financial preferences and needs, and then preparing our wills, durable powers of attorney, and other documents. We remain pleased with her work, have referred friends to her, and plan to see her again when we update our documents.
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Estate planning Attorney | Feb 23
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I heartily endorse Katti. The clients I've referred to her have consistently told me that Katti did a good job explaining things to them in simple language so that they understand what their estate plan is about. I will continue, with full confidence, to refer clients to her. Also, as a fellow attorney, Katti has always been ready to assist and share her knowledge."
Probate Attorney | Jun 23
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Katti really knows her stuff when it comes to wills, trusts and probate matters. Equally importantly, she is willing and happy to share her expertise with other attorneys as well as the public."
Estate planning Attorney | May 23
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Not only to endorse Katti Esp, but I frequently send my clients and friends to her for assistance with their estate planning needs. Everyone I have referred to her has shared with me their appreciation for her efficiency and professionalism."
Estate planning Attorney | Aug 25
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I really admire Katti Esp's knowledge and experience in the estate practice field. She's an outstanding lawyer who brings compassion and zeal to all of her clients' matters."
Elder law Attorney | Jun 18
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer's work. Katti is an exceptional attorney. She is competent in her field of work. She has a great staff and her work output is timely. She truly cares about the welfare of her clients."