Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel was voted one of the “Best of Hawaii” in the category of Estate Planning in 2020. KITV4’ collected over 46,000 write-in votes for this listing. We’re honored to be included as one of three finalists in the State of Hawaii.
Client Reviews
“Superior service. Professional, Warm, courteous office experience. Excellent listening skills.”
- Dr. Hart
"Piece of cake. These were simply the easiest will and trust documents I have ever had drawn up for me. No nonsense, exceptional knowledge, simplicity and sure-footedness as to what to do for my particular situation. Cannot recommend highly enough."
- Eileen
“John made the entire process (which is complicated) seem easy. We really enjoyed working with John.”
- Kirk & Tracie
“Kumu gave us such good customer service! We’ve been recommending him to our friends!”
“Estate planning can be a daunting task if you aren’t in the proper hands. Kumu Belcher was our lawyer, and he made us feel comfortable with the whole process because of his professionalism and knowledge. Kumu took the time to interpret the language in all the documents, making sure that we understood everything before moving on to the next step. I highly recommend Kumu for your estate planning needs.
- Melanie
“The service of Hawaii Trust and Estate Counsel exceeded my expectations. I came prepared with the necessary documents and was given personal attention. My questions and concerns were addressed clearly. I highly recommend Hawaii Trust and Estate Counsel.”
- Kaye
“Quality, Offerings, Timeliness, Customer Service. John is a great attorney. Easy to talk to and understand. I would recommend him to anyone for Estate planning.”
- Martin & Heidi
“Kumu Belcher was very helpful and professional. He went through all of our Trust documents with us and answered all of our questions. We appreciate his courtesy and the time he took with us. Thank you!"
- Mari
“Kumu is an excellent attorney that helped walk us through our options on our legal matters. He has a lot of patience, he made us feel very comfortable and answered all our questions. Kumu completed our legal paperwork in a very timely manner. We recommend Kumu to all friends and family.”
- Doreen
"John helped my husband and I make important choices for our family with his easygoing personality and informed professionalism. We were surprised by some of our decisions and feel grateful for the enlightenment and options that John presented to us. We referred all of our friends to John and they had similar experiences. Consistent, Quality & Informed."
- Karyn
"Very thorough, very efficient and timely, and my wife understood everything he explained and why. Excellent estate attorney. Happy to refer my clients to."
- Keith
"I'm not a fan of lawyers, however John is an excellent attorney. He knows his stuff when it comes to Estate Planning, Probate and Wills. John is fair, reasonable, and trustworthy. He is also easy to work with...no attitude."
- Ed
"John Roth at Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel made the experience of creating my "Exit Plan" easy and enjoyable to do. Everyone in this office shares wonderful energy. Both Kumu and John have volunteered time to talk to Kohala Middle School students on Career Days, which was greatly appreciated. I would recommend John Roth and Kumu Belcher as lawyers who are knowledgeable, pono, and supportive in their thinking and actions. Mahalo for your kokua!"
- Randee
“We avoided updating our estate plan for over 20 years, thinking it was a complex jungle. In two clean and concise sessions John had all our wishes down on paper using the documentation consistent with updated Hawaii Law. We highly recommend working with John.” - Peter & Elaine
“My husband and I have been saying for the past 10 years (ever since we have been married) that we needed to get a Will drawn up. But it just seems to be one of those things that are easily put off. After learning that Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel had an office in Waimea, I decided it was time once and for all to make the appointment. My husband and I both met with John for a few hours and he could not have made the process any easier. He created a complete estate plan for us so that we would know if something should happen to either one of us (or both) our wishes would be carried out. He made the process very easy and asked us all the right questions to figure out what it is that we would need and how we would want things set up. Within a few weeks we had our estate plan in place. Now, we both have peace of mind knowing that if something should happen to either of us, things will be taken care of as we would want them. I highly recommend John Roth for all your estate planning needs. He was easy to talk with and explained the process very well so that we fully understood what was being done and what all the different options/items meant. If you have not gotten your estate plan in place or if you need to update yours, pick up the phone and make that appointment with John.”
- Michelle & Tony
“John provides expertise and compassion in planning your estate will and advanced directives. He takes into consideration your family, personal needs, and possible case scenarios, so that your decisions are sound and well guided. Just knowing that he is there for any changes or questions is a great comfort.”
- Christine
"Our revision of the family trust from 1996 was smoother and better organized than our original trust. We were very impressed and are very satisfied. We will be back in about five years."
- Mark & Pat
"When my husband and I purchased our business, John expertly helped us with every step. I have total confidence that our estate plans and business registration documents are complete, accurate, and suited perfectly for our needs. John truly has given me peace of mind. I look forward to working with him again in the future, and I recommend him highly."
- Jane
"We would certainly recommend John Roth for trust planning. He was knowledgeable, kind, patient, understanding and explained things very clearly. Thank you John."
- Diana & Andy
"I'm extremely grateful to have found John to help me with my estate planning. He's exceptional, a true professional and someone I trust very much. He always spends the time to explain how things work in terms I understand and what my options are so I can make the best decisions for me and my estate. He then takes care of everything else, making the entire process really easy. I can't imagine working with anyone else. I highly recommend him."
- Amber
"John Roth of Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel has been a life-saver! By the passing of my ex-husband I suddenly found myself as the only surviving named successor trustee on my ex-father-in-laws trust document. What an awkward situation to be in. John was so knowledgeable on my choices and options and how each could effect me personally as well as the beneficiaries. My two children were beneficiaries along with their cousins so I had to take my decision carefully. John helped with all the paperwork so the steps I needed to do to fix up, list and sell a condominium under the trust went so smoothly. John gave me guidance on my responsibilities to the beneficiaries and now that the condo has sold and the beneficiaries paid out, I can only thank and praise Hawaii Trust & Estate Counsel for the smooth process as well as the gratitude of the beneficiaries. Because of John's help and knowledge, and my personal experience, I recently also attended an Estate Planning seminar John put on since my husband and I have been thinking about reviewing our own personal trust (nothing like being on the other end to make you think about what would happen to those you want to provide for!) I know John will guide us on our options and on what's best for us and our children. I have even had my children meet John so when my husband and I are no longer around they know who they can turn to for help. I highly recommend John and his law partner Kumu Belcher for any Trust and Estate needs. They are awesome!"
- Kari