About Bryana Cross Bean
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Ms. Bean practices in the areas of Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Probate. Helping people protect their future is her passion.
EXPERIENCED AND TRUSTWORTHY ATTORNEY IN PUYALLUP, GIG HARBOR
Attorney Bryana Cross Bean’s primary practice areas are estate planning, long-term care planning, elder law, and probate. She has been a practicing attorney in Washington since 2013 and has had her own practice since 2014. She holds memberships in the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA), and Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association (TPCBA). She is also an active participant in events in the elder care community in Pierce County.
Ms. Bean was originally interested in becoming a physician and started down the pre-med track in college. She later realized that while she loved helping people, she did not love the science involved. After taking a number of public health classes, Ms. Bean became interested in health policy. That interest in health policy lead her into the legal field. After graduating from the University of Washington with degrees in biology and history, she attended law school at Seattle University. There Bryana discovered that she was more interested in keeping clients out of court than doing to battle in court.
"I love what I do. It is extremely fulfilling to sit with a client and figure out how to make his or her life better."
–Bryana Cross Bean, Attorney at Law
Helping others protect their future through estate planning, long-term care planning, elder law, and probate.
In her final year of law school, Ms. Bean had the pleasure of working with an elderly couple who needed both estate planning and long-term care planning. She enjoyed sitting down with them and helping them make their lives better. This wonderful couple ended up being a significant influence in Ms. Bean’s career, and she has gone on to represent many people in similar situations.
After graduating law school, Ms. Bean decided to forge her own path and opened Law Offices of Bryana M. Cross in early 2014; later changing it to Law Offices of Bryana Cross Bean after her marriage in late 2015. We have rebranded once again to become Prudent Planning Legal, PLLC. She enjoys being her own boss and working to make the lives of her clients better.
Ms. Bean currently lives in Bonney Lake with her husband, two children, and pets. She enjoys gardening, hiking, and spending time with family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Directions to Puyallup office?
Our Puyallup Office is located at 802 39th Ave SW, #5, Puyallup, WA 98373. Look for a two-story brown and red building with a parking lot out front, next to Ma’s Place Restaurant in the South Hill area. There’s a large sign on the side of the building marked 802 J.C. Higgins & Associates. From I-5 via Hwy 512: Take Exit 127 – Hwy 512 East (Puyallup – Mt. Rainier) At that Exit, Southbound traffic turns left and northbound traffic turns right Follow Hwy 512 East for about 8 miles Take the Exit marked 9th St SW/94th Ave E (Fairgrounds, South Hill Mall) Turn right at traffic light onto 9th St SW/94th Ave E, then drive for 2 blocks Turn left at traffic light onto 39th Ave SW Our office is on the right From Hwy 167: From Hwy 167 in Puyallup, head South on 4th St. NW for ½ mile Continue onto 5th St NW for about ½ mile Continue onto Fairview Dr. for about ½ mile Continue onto 9th St SW for 1.6 miles Turn left onto 112th St E/39th Ave SW The office building is less than 500 feet on the right, just before Ma’s Place Restaurant.
What is "Elder Law"?
The Washington Association of Elder Law Attorneys (WAELA) defines that specific area of law as: “Elder Law” has been defined as the legal practice of counseling and representing older persons, their representatives, and their families about the legal aspects of estate planning, health and long-term care planning, public benefits, surrogate decision-making, capacity, conservation, disposition and administration of older persons’ estates, and the implementation of their decisions concerning such matters. In other words, it does not simply mean legal representation of an elderly person.
I have children who are under 18, so if I were to pass away, how can I be sure they are taken care of by someone who knows and loves them?
Let’s say your children’s other parent is not in the picture. A Will is a legal document that can direct who will care for your minor children by appointing a trusted person who loves and cares about your child to handle his/her finances.
Directions to Gig Harbor office?
Our Gig Harbor Office is located at 4221 Harborview Dr., Gig Harbor, WA 98332 From Tacoma Head west on S 11th St toward Tacoma Ave S Turn left onto S Sprague Ave Merge onto WA-16 W via the ramp to Gig Harbor/Bremerton Merge onto WA-16 W Take the Wollochet Dr NW exit toward City Ctr Continue onto Stinson Ave At the traffic circle, take the 2nd exit onto Harborview Dr Turn right Destination will be on the right: 4221 Harborview Dr, Gig Harbor, WA 98332 From Bremerton Head west on Burwell St toward Seattle Bremerton Ferry Dock Turn left onto N Callow Ave N Callow Ave turns slightly right and becomes WA-304 W/Charleston Blvd Keep left at the fork, follow signs for WA-3 S/Shelton and merge onto WA-3 S Slight left onto WA-16 Take the Burnham Dr NW exit At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto Burnham Dr At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit and stay on Burnham Dr At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit and stay on Burnham Dr Continue straight onto Harborview Dr Turn left Destination will be on the right 4221 Harborview Dr, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
If my assets are not of great value, why would I need estate planning?
We hear from many people who think they do not have an “estate”. We say that if you have two pennies to rub together, you have an estate! Estate planning is a general term used for different types of legal documents that accomplish certain things either during your life or after your death. A Last Will & Testament, or a “Will” is just one of them. A Will is used to direct what happens to your estate after you pass away. Even if your assets are not of great value, you may be in one or more of the following situations, so having heirs inherit or not inherit from you could be very important if: You have family members who are not capable of managing their own financial affairs and you worry that if they were to inherit, they could not properly manage their inheritance. This may apply to a beneficiary who is disabled, going through bankruptcy or being sued, going through a divorce, or has a gambling or drug problem. It would also apply if you own a business or are a member of an LLC, or perhaps you are living with (but not married to) your loved one and you want your partner to inherit from you, or maybe you and your spouse have children from a prior marriage. Perhaps you are not married and don’t have any children. Your Will can name non-family members or charitable organizations for your estate to pass to.
I’m still young, so do I really need a Durable Power of Attorney document?
No matter your age, unless you are under 18, everyone would benefit from having a Durable Power of Attorney document in place for medical and financial decision making. You never know when an unexpected event like a car accident or serious medical condition will arise. Bryana Cross Bean has had experience with a serious, unexpected illness, which you can read more about here.