A method for manufacturing a magnetic write head having a write pole with a tapered trailing edge step. The resulting tapered trailing edge step maximizes write field at very small bit sizes by preventing the magnetic saturation of the write pole at the pole tip. The method includes depositing a magnetic write pole material and then depositing a magnetic material over the magnetic write pole material. A RIE mask and hard mask are deposited over the magnetic bump material. A resist mask is formed over the RIE mask and hard mask, and a reactive ion etching is performed to transfer the pattern of the resist mask onto the underlying hard mask. Then an ion milling is performed to form a the magnetic step layer with a tapered edge that defines a tapered trailing edge step structure of the write pole.