A plan for every family.
Every family is different, but all families need an estate plan. We provide a wide range of plans, from simple plans for young families to trust plans designed for cost savings in high net worth estates. We are not purveyors of a single one size fits all solution—rather, we look at each family’s circumstances and goals to put together the right plan for them.
We work toward simplicity and clarity in all of our planning. Not every goal is simple, and not every family is simple. However, we strongly believe that a plan should be as simple as possible while achieving our clients’ goals. For not-so-simple families—blended families, families with special needs beneficiaries, and families that own businesses or other complex assets—we offer solutions designed to solve these complex problems in simple, even elegant, ways.
A process designed for you.
Finally, we believe the estate planning process should be as easy and accessible as possible. We’ve seen firsthand, through our settlement and caregiver assistance work, what happens when people go without a plan. So we offer free consultations and affordable options to every client who walks through our doors. The comment we hear over and over? “That wasn’t so bad—why didn’t I do that years ago?”
Q:
What happens during our initial appointment?
A: We typically start the appointment by going through an overview of what a complete plan includes, and discuss our process. Then, we learn a little bit about your family and asset structure. Once we understand your situation, we start on an initial draft of the plan. For some clients, we are able to get initial answers to all the questions we need to prepare a draft plan. In that case, we provide a quote and decide whether to move forward. If you need time to think about a decision, we give a homework list and re-convene when you are ready.
Q:
What does an estate plan cover?
A: Every complete plan has several parts. First is a distribution scheme. For some people, this is as simple as children equally. For others, it might include other individuals or charities. This is all about what you want, and our role is to understand your goals and make sure the documents will carry them out. Second is selecting people for key roles. Those roles include an estate administrator, power of attorney for finances, and power of attorney for health care. The third is choosing the right tool for estate settlement. This is where we discuss wills and trusts, which are the tools we use to implement your plan.
Q:
How long does this take?
A: This is really up to you. If we are able to prepare drafts based on our initial meeting, those will be ready to sign a week or so after the meeting. Trust plans take longer, as after signing we assist in updating beneficiaries to make sure the trust works as intended. In our experience, most plans are completed 30-90 days from the initial meeting.
Q:
How much does estate planning cost?
A: We make sure to offer every family has an affordable option that will meet their needs. In many cases, the affordable option will be a will-based complete plan that costs $6-800. Through our young families program, run by Atty. Ashley Reimer, we offer a discounted $450 fee for families with young children.
For clients who wish to avoid probate and make estate settlement as straightforward as possible for their children or other administrators, the chosen tool will generally be a revocable trust-based plan. Fully funded revocable trust plans start at $2,500.
For families with special needs children, we are able to offer certain clients reimbursement of some or all fees through a collaboration with WisPACT, a nonprofit organization that administers pooled special needs trusts for beneficiaries with disabilities. Ask for details if this applies to you.
Q:
Should I have a will or a trust?
A: It depends. Wills and trusts are tools, and like any set of tools, there is no single tool that is right for every job. We discuss how each would work and choose the best tool based on your needs and goals.
Q:
What should I do to get ready for my appointment?
A: Just be ready to have a conversation. We’ve found that things actually go smoothest when our clients come in without preconceived ideas and make initial decisions during the meeting as they learn more about their options.
Prior to your meeting, it can be helpful to review your personal financial and give some thought to who you trust to handle important life duties, like settling your affairs, handling your funds during your lifetime if you are unable to, and making health care decisions. For families with young children, give some thought to who you trust to serve as guardians for your children.
READY TO GET STARTED?
All of our work starts with a no-obligation consultation to discuss your situation and how we can help.
Call us to make your appointment today!