Begin by completing the Estate Plan Questionnaire. This helps me understand your family/relationships, assets, liabilities, and planning goals. You do not need to have every answer in advance.
Please submit your responses at least 48 hours before your consultation so that I have time to review your information.
Schedule your complimentary consultation. During our meeting, we will discuss your goals, review the information you provided, and identify the estate planning tools and strategies that may be appropriate for your circumstances. By the end of the consultation, you will have a better understanding of the planning process, the options to consider, and the recommended next steps.
If you are reviewing and possibly updatingan existing estateplan, the process is slightly different.
Please provide your existing documents at least 48 hours before your consultation.
Existing clients: Review your Estate Plan Summary and Asset/Liability Inventory. Mark up any changes or questions. Upload documents to your Box folder, email me to set up that link if you don’t have one, or use the general upload box below.
New clients: Complete the Estate Plan Questionnaire and provide copies of your Trust(s), any amendments, Wills, Codicils, Powers of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directives, HIPAA/CMIA Releases, and Marital Property Agreements.
The combined review, consultation, and follow-up typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours (existing clients) or 1-2 hours (new clients) and will be billed at $450/hour.
Quotes for updates or additional work will be provided after the consultation, once we understand the scope of the project.
Step 2: Sign Legal Services Agreement
If we decide to work together, I will ask you to sign a Legal Services Agreement outlining:
the scope of representation;
services included and excluded;
fees and billing arrangements; and
your responsibilities as a client.
Flat-rate estate plans are billed as folllows:
50% due upon completion of the drafts.
50% due at signing (or when final documents are provided for independent signing).
Hourly rate-add ons and reimbursements, when applicable, will be added to the first or second invoice, depending on when services were performed or expenses incurred.
Hourly rate engagements are billed as work is performed and may include reimbursements for expenses incurred.
Step 3: Draft and Review Documents
Unless we agree to a quicker turnaround, please allow me 2-3 weeks to draft your documents.
Upon receipt, you should carefully review the documents.
Let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or changes.
When documents are ready to finalize, we proceed to step 4.
Step 4: Sign and Implement Your Estate Plan
We will schedule a meeting or I will send you independent signing instructions.
If you sign at my office:
I will scan your executed documents and upload copies to your Box folder.
Original documents will be returned to you.
If you sign independently, you will upload your executed documents to your Box folder.
After signing, your estate plan is not complete until it has been properly implemented. This may include:
funding your trust;
reviewing/updating asset ownership;
confirming/updating beneficiary designations; and
organizing your documents for future use.
Trusts and wills do not override account ownership or beneficiary designations. While privacy laws limit my ability to complete many of these tasks on your behalf, I am available to guide you through the process.
Please note:
Notarized documents generally require valid identification.
Medallion stamp guarantees are different from notarizations.
