Estate Planning
our approach
Many people assume estate planning is simply a matter of entering information into a software program and printing documents. In reality, the documents are only the final product of a much more important process.
Our role is to help you make thoughtful decisions about your families, your assets, and your legacy. That means asking questions that uncover what matters most, identifying issues that may otherwise be overlooked, and helping you navigate choices you may not have realized needed to be made.
Every family is different. Family dynamics, financial circumstances, long-term goals, and personal values all influence the design of an estate plan. For that reason, we do not rely on one-size-fits-all solutions or automatically generated documents. Each plan is carefully crafted to reflect your unique situation and the decisions made throughout the planning process.
A well-designed estate plan does more than transfer assets. It provides clarity, minimizes the potential for conflict, protects your loved ones, and gives you confidence that your wishes will be carried out as intended.
our process
Creating an estate plan does not have to feel overwhelming when the process is clearly outlined. Each step is designed to help you make informed decisions and move forward with confidence.
List of Services
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Initial ConsultationItem Link List Item 1
An opportunity to discuss your goals and ask any preliminary questions about the estate planning process. It’s a no-pressure conversation designed to help you understand your options and decide how you’d like to move forward.
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Client IntakeItem Link
The client intake step involves completing a brief form with key personal, family, contact, and financial information. This helps streamline the first meeting so we can focus on your priorities and begin shaping a plan that fits your needs.
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Initial MeetingItem Link
A collaborative discussion where we explore your goals, intentions, and priorities in detail. We ask targeted questions and gather the necessary information to design an estate plan tailored to your specific needs.
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Draft Plan Preparation & ReviewItem Link List Item 2
Draft documents are prepared based on the information gathered during our meetings and tailored to your goals and wishes. You will receive a complete draft of your estate plan along with a summary letter that clearly explains each document to make your review simple and straightforward.
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Refinement and FinalizationItem Link List Item 3
We discuss any requested changes, questions, or concerns and make final adjustments to ensure your plan accurately reflects your wishes. Once complete, your documents are finalized and prepared for signing.
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Execution of DocumentsItem Link List Item 4
We review the documents together one final time to ensure everything is clear and accurate. You will then sign the documents before a notary public in our office or, if you are not local to our area, in your home with a mobile notary public.
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Trust FundingItem Link
Trust funding ensures your trust is properly implemented. We prepare and record deeds for real property transfers,and instruct you on - and assist you with - other assets to be transferred or designated to the trust. We also coordinate with your financial advisors as needed to help ensure everything is properly aligned.
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Ongoing UpdatesItem Link
We remain available to help you update your esate plan as life changes to ensure it continues to reflect your current wishes and circumstances.
comprehensive estate planning
A comprehensive estate plan is a collection of legal documents that work together to protect you and your loved ones throughout life's uncertainties. Whether you become incapacitated, require assistance managing your personal or financial affairs, or pass away, these documents will help ensure the people you trust have the authority and guidance needed to carry out your wishes. Most comprehensive estate plans contain some or all of the following documents:
Revocable Trust
A revocable trust is the cornerstone of most estate plans. Assets are transferred into the trust, but you retain complete control over them. As long as you have capacity, you can manage and use the trust assets as you wish, and you may modify or revoke the trust at any time. If you become incapacitated, your successor trustee can step in and manage the trust assets for your benefit according to your instructions. Upon your death, the trust provides for the distribution of your assets to your chosen beneficiaries, typically avoiding probate and simplifying the administration process for your loved ones.
Last Will & Testament
If you have a revocable trust, your will is typically a “pour-over” will. It acts as a safety net, directing any assets not already transferred into your trust to be transferred into it at your death and distributed according to your trust. If you do not have a revocable trust, your will functions as your primary estate planning document and directs how your assets are distributed at your death. In either case, your will nominates an executor of your estate and may also nominate a guardian for minor children, if applicable. Unlike a trust, a will does not avoid probate.
Durable Power of Attorney for Asset Management
A Durable Power of Attorney for Asset Management allows you to appoint a trusted person (your agent) to handle financial and legal matters on your behalf if you become unable to do so yourself. Because a revocable trust only governs assets titled in the name of the trust, a power of attorney is an important companion document that allows your agent to manage assets outside the trust. A Durable Power of Attorney is valid only during your lifetime and automatically terminates upon your death.
Durable Special Power of Attorney
A durable special power of attorney gives your chosen agents the limited authority to transfer assets into your revocable trust. It is used specifically to help ensure your trust is properly funded, particularly if you are unable to complete transfers yourself.
General Assignment of Assets
A general assignment of assets is used to formally transfer ownership of assets into your trust. It helps ensure that assets that do not have formal title—like personal belongings—are still included in your estate plan. This supports a more complete and properly funded trust.
Advance Health Care Directive
An advance health care directive allows you to appoint someone to make medical and personal care decisions for you if you are unable to make them yourself. It also lets you express your preferences so your wishes are known and followed. This ensures your care is handled in accordance with your values when you cannot speak for yourself.
HIPAA Release
A HIPAA release allows your healthcare providers to share limited medical information with specifically named individuals. This ensures the people involved in carrying out your estate plan can access the information they need. It is a targeted authorization designed to support communication while protecting your privacy.
FERPA Release
A FERPA release authorizes a college or university to share a student's educational records with designated individuals, usually parents. Without it, federal privacy laws generally prevent schools from discussing a student's academic or financial information with parents, even if the parents are continuing to support the student.
Trust Certification
A Certification of Trust is a summary document that confirms the existence of your trust and the trustee's authority to act on behalf of the trust. It allows banks, financial institutions, title companies, and other third parties to verify key information without requiring disclosure of the entire trust agreement, helping preserve your privacy while facilitating transactions.
estate planning for young adults
Once our kids turn 18, we no longer have automatic authority to access their medical, financial, or academic information — even if they are still financially dependent on us. A simple estate plan for young adults can make all the difference in an emergency, ensuring that parents or trusted individuals can step in quickly when urgent decisions need to be made. This typically includes an Advance Health Care Directive, HIPAA Release, FERPA Release (if they are in school), and a Durable Power of Attorney for Asset Management.
