Estate Planning Step-by-Step

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Note: The information below pertains to the drafting or revision of estate planning documents.

Step 1: Schedule a complimentary introductory callphone-call

During this ten to twenty minute call or visit you will tell us about your particular situation and we will determine if we can help.

Step 2: Schedule an Initial Consultation

After the initial contact, we will schedule a one-hour meeting or video conference to evaluate your situation.

Before our appointment:

  • We will set up a secure client portal for you.
  • Please download our Estate Planning Worksheet, fill it out on the computer and upload it to your encrypted client portal. This will help you organize the information that we will need in order to fully understand your situation and have a more productive meeting. Organizing the information in advance will also help you to focus on your concerns and the decisions you must make.
  • Please upload copies of any existing documents that you’d like for us to review.

1717kstreetAt the initial consultation, we will

  • Ask targeted questions
  • Discuss your options
  • Recommend a course of action
  • Answer your questions
  • Discuss our fees for the estate planning products that we recommend. Most clients can choose one of our estate plan packages.

After the initial consultation, you will receive:

  • A summary of the relevant legal aspects and our recommendations by e-mail;
  • Replies to unlimited follow-up questions for two days after our appointment.

This initial consultation costs $ 300.

The initial consultation is limited in scope and will not establish an attorney-client relationship. Please download, read and sign our Agreement for Initial Consultation that sets forth the terms of this meeting.

If you choose to retain us for estate planning services and we agree to provide these services to you, we will prepare a fee engagement letter that spells out the work to be done and the planning fee we suggest.

We strive to deliver high quality client services at fair, reasonable and transparent prices. The fee level is determined by the following factors: the complexity of the project, the amount of time needed to complete the assignment, the level of expertise required, and the level of risk we assume by representing you.

 

Step 3: Preparation and Review of Documents

During the implementation phase, there is ongoing communication with the client, which may involve several meetings, obtaining additional documentation, clarifying goals and information, and discussing various options. Ongoing communication is essential for developing an effective plan.shutterstock_372823975

In this phase we will gladly cooperate with your financial advisors.

Once we have enough information, we will prepare drafts of your estate planning documents for your review. After we have answered all of your questions about your plan, we will schedule a signing meeting and finalize your documents for execution.

Step 4: Signing Meeting, Confirmation and Maintenance

During the signing meeting, we dedicate a significant amount of time to explain each
section of the plan, and answer any questions that have come up in the process. During this meeting, if appropriate, we will also assist you with transferring assets to your new trust. We will also guide you in handling future asset transfers that you decidconference-roome to do yourself, confirm that we completed the work that you entrusted us to perform and discuss how to best maintain your documents up to date.

We will deliver your estate planning documents to you in an organized binder for safekeeping and will provide you with pdf files of your documents for easy reference.

Step 5: After Signing

Once the documents are signed, we will work with you to ensure funding of any trusts. We also keep our clients informed on a regular basis through our newslnewsletteretter. Please sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about changes in the law that might affect you.

Ideally, estate plans should be reviewed and modified, if necessary, after every major life
event such as marriage, the birth of a child, attaining majority, divorce, death or serious illness/incapacity of a family member.

We welcome your questions. Changes to existing documents can be relatively simple depending on the individual circumstances.