How We Work
We know that your time is valuable – we are here to serve as an informative and efficient partner for all of your estate planning needs. Simply select the estate planning questionnaire that best fits your needs and email us the completed form. We will review all of the information with you at our meeting.
If there are no open items, we will provide a fixed fee quote. If there are open items, we will work with you on hashing out the details and then provide a fixed fee quote. Once you approve the fee and the proposal then we will draft the documents. When the documents are completed you will visit with us and review the documents, discuss titling of assets and beneficiaries to tie into your estate documents and have you sign the documents. You will then receive the original estate documents for your files while we maintain an electronic copy.
Revocable or Living Trust
Any assets held inside a trust typically avoids probate (the proving of the Last Will and Testament to the court). This is recommended if you own real estate outside of the state where you live, if you have privacy issues (like a divorce), if you are older and may need more financial assistance in a relatively short time, and/or if you live in a state where probate is difficult (time-consuming and/or expensive).
Irrevocable Trust
This is a document where you are starting the trust now, while you are living, and it needs its own federal identification number. Unlike the Revocable Trust, where the Trustor (you) can amend, change, or revoke it at any time, this document cannot be changed by you. Typically, this document is used to remove assets from your estate for estate tax purposes and is most commonly used for life insurance.
Last Will & Testament
This is a document that disposes of all assets that are in your name (with certain exceptions) at the time that you pass. This document is taken to probate and then the court will give a letter of testamentary allowing the Executor/Personal Representative to distribute the assets.
3 Estate Challenges for Blended Families
