Our Estate Planning Process
Our estate planning process consists of three steps, and is
designed to produce a high-quality estate plan for each member of our growing
private client community. We believe
that estate planning can be an enjoyable and very satisfying experience.
Step One: Schedule an Initial Meeting
We offer a complimentary and highly valuable initial meeting to prospective clients who are committed to have a comprehensive estate plan, executed and in place, within a 1 to 3 month timeframe. Please read our Ideal Estate Planning Client Profile to determine whether you are a good candidate for our services. If, after reading the profile, you decide that you would like to meet with us, please contact us to schedule your initial meeting.
In order to prepare for the initial meeting, we would request that you download and complete our Confidential Estate Planning Questionnaire which will help you gather important information about you, your family, your assets, your goals, and preliminary design information for your estate plan. Please bring the completed questionnaire and copies of your existing estate planning documents with you to the initial meeting.
At the initial meeting, we will spend between 1 and 2 hours discussing your particular family and financial circumstances and we will help you clearly define your estate planning goals. We will explain each step of the estate planning process so you will never feel overwhelmed, discuss a fee for our services and a timetable for delivery of the documents. We encourage you to ask us lots of questions so that you will have a solid understanding of the benefits that you will receive from working with us.
Step Two: Draft and Review the Plan
After we have decided to work together, we will draft your estate planning documents and send them to you for your review. We recommend that our clients spend no more than 1 or 2 hours reviewing the drafts of the documents and to call us as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to sign the final documents.
Step Three: Implementing and Updating the Plan
The last and most important step in the process is for you to sign your final documents. At the signing meeting, we will answer your remaining questions, if any, and guide you through the proper execution of the documents and where you should store your original documents. You may need to contact your financial or insurance advisor for assistance in making ownership or beneficiary changes to your financial assets or insurance policies.
It is important to note that your relationship with us does not end when you sign your final documents. We encourage you to remain in touch with us. You should review your estate plan with us every 3 to 5 years because all estate plans require periodic updating because changes in your personal circumstances, such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child or inheriting property, or changes in the tax or other laws can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of your estate plan.