Estate Planning

Many people are under the mistaken belief that Estate Planning consists solely or mainly of preparing a Last Will and Testament. While it is true that a Will can be part of your estate plan, there is so much more that can be done and should be done for your family in the event of your death or incapacity.

The system that we use, called our Structure Legacy Planning, is a simple but efficient and comprehensive process of arranging and managing your family and financial affairs in a way that reflects your personal wishes and goals. It includes:
- Appointing the proper individuals to take care of your children at any point in time on a short-term or long-term basis, in the event you can no longer do so.
- Appointing someone to take care of you and your assets in the event of death or incapacity.
- Creating a structure that clearly designates to whom and how your assets will be distributed when you are gone.

A Structured Legacy Plan is a set of tools (in the form of legal documents) that we design that you can have in place to take care of your family at any point in time that you may not be able to do so.

A Structured Legacy Plan gives you the peace of mind that you a structure in place that your family can rely on.

First of all, not having a SLP means that you will not have the peace of mind described under “What is Estate Planning?”

Second, if you don’t do any planning, then you get the estate plan that your state has written for you! Every state has a default plan for your family and assets in the event of your incapacity or death. I can confidently tell you that this is a plan that you and your family will not like – look at the FAQ “What’s Probate” to get a small glimpse of what the state has provided for you.

Engaging us to provide you with your own Structured Legacy Plan allows you to “opt out” of the state’s default plan, taking control and putting your own wishes in place.

We have an easy, 3-step process designed to have your trust and other estate planning documents created and signed in 6-8 weeks:

The first step is to schedule and attend your Structured Legacy Planning Session via Zoom. You’ll fill out a secure online questionnaire (“Family Profile”) before we meet so we can make the best use of our time together. During this session, you’ll learn all about your options and our flat fees. When you are ready to move forward, we’ll send you an engagement letter and invoice, both of which can be executed online.

The second step is your Structured Legacy Design Meeting. We’ll work with the details of your Family Profile and with you design your trust and other estate planning documents. After this session, I’ll draft your documents and send a copy for your review within a few weeks. We’ll then make any changes or updates you’d like to make. At this point, we’ll coordinate your Signing Ceremony.

Your Signing Ceremony is the final step of the process. After the signing and notarization of your documents, the original documents will be sent to you, organized in a professional binder, along with digital copies.

The Family Profile that you will fill out online (see FAQ “What is your Structured Legacy Planning Process”) will walk you through the information that you will need provide to help us create your Plan. But to give you an idea, you will be asked for the following:

Information on your assets, such as the type of asset (real property, bank accounts, retirement accounts, vehicles), along with their approximate value and how title is currently held.

Your preference for who will raise your minor children in case something happens to you and your spouse or partner.

Who will be in charge of your children’s inheritance prior to the point in time that you want the funds to be distributed.

Who you want to make medical and financial decisions for you in the event of your incapacity.

This is certainly an option. But please keep in mind the following two (2) facts.

• A Last Will and Testament will have to go through a Probate Court proceeding. So you should educate yourself on what Probate is along with the costs and pitfalls of Probate. You can start by looking on this page at the FAQ “What is Probate?”

• Legal Zoom and law firms provide two different services. This is why the cost is different. Legal Zoom offers form documents you fill out and execute yourself. It does not give legal advice. An attorney, on the other hand, counsels you and gives you legal advice based on your specific circumstances. We will customize your documents, ensure they are signed with the proper formalities, and pick up the phone when you call with questions. If these things are not important to you, Legal Zoom may be your best option. However, if these things are important to you, you should take the next step to determine if working with us is the right fit for you. Book a Structured Legacy Planning Session here.

No. This is a common misconception. Estate planning is in no way related to how much money you have, whether you are a married, or whether or not you are a parent.

Our Structure Legacy Planning system is a comprehensive process of arranging and managing your family and financial affairs in a way that reflects your personal wishes and goals. This system is based on the fact that your estate plan is not for you – its for your loved ones. And this transcends how much or little money you have.