Your Last Will is a legal document through which you distribute some of your assets upon death. Other assets will be distributed not based on your Last Will but on your beneficiary designations, depending on the situation. Over two-thirds of the U.S. adult population does not have a last will, and for those who do, most Last Wills do not fully cover their situation. Upon death, the only want to make a Last Will valid is to file it in the probate court, a public and normally lengthy process that delays your family access to what you have left behind.

A successful outcome in estate planning requires the guidance of a professional lawyer who deals with estate planning on a daily basis. You have devoted your entire life to creating what you have today. Unfortunately, following the death of a loved one, some families are left with nothing because they didn’t plan at all, or used an online platform that was unaware of their family or situation and was of no use to them when they needed it the most. We encourage the development of long-term relationships between you and your estate planning attorney so that you can rest assured that your family will have legal assistance even when you are unable to provide it.

Our estate planning fees are designed on a flat-fee basis to provide complete transparency with our clients. We understand cost is a sensitive topic, which is why we cannot quote fees online or over the phone. However, we invite you to attend our upcoming educational events where we cover our unique meeting process and fee schedule. This ensures you have all the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.

A Trust can function as a replacement for a Will. A Revocable Living Trust, like a Last Will, distributes your assets after death. The advantage of a Trust is that it doesn’t need to be filed with the probate court to be enforced. In contrast, a Last Will must be filed with the probate court to have any legal effect. A Trust is a confidential document that relates to your personal matters, whereas a Last Will becomes a public document once you die, regardless of how reserved you were during your lifetime. Aside from that, there are many other Trusts that perform various roles, and the appropriate overall estate plan for each family’s unique situation must be customised, which could involve one or more Trusts.

Through our comprehensive life and legacy planning process, we prioritize capturing and transferring your important intangible assets such as values, insights, stories, and experiences in addition to transferring your financial assets and personal belongings. Estate planning is crucial for everyone, regardless of their financial status, as everyone has an estate as valuable as anything in the world that needs to be protected. After your departure, your loved ones will cherish your words of advice and concern and coming across a letter or voicemail from you will be a great gift. Let us help you give your loved ones the most precious gift of all – a lasting expression of your love.

It is recommended to have your out-of-state estate plan reviewed by a local Personal Family Lawyer to ensure compliance with any state law differences, regardless of your physical location within the United States.