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Step 1: The Initial Consultation
We offer all prospective clients a complimentary initial consultation. With the clients' permission, we encourage you to attend this initial consultation as well. If this cannot be arranged, we will seek the clients' permission to discuss their estate planning with you afterward.
During this first meeting, an attorney will spend approximately an hour with your clients. After listening to your clients' needs, plans and goals, the attorney will generally make some estate planning recommendations. If the situation is complex, the attorney will ask for a follow-up meeting to present a summary and specific recommendations.
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After making recommendations, the attorney will quote a flat fee for design, drafting and implementation of the plans. Your clients then may choose to engage our firm by signing an engagement letter and making a 50 percent deposit; or they may choose to take some time to reflect before moving ahead.
The Estate Planning Team
As an estate planning law firm, we work closely with other professional advisors, including Certified Financial Planner™ professionals, Investment Advisors, Financial Consultants, Insurance Professionals, Certified Public Accountants and Tax Advisors. We believe the team approach provides our clients with the most sophisticated, comprehensive and effective estate planning possible. To that end, we encourage our clients to invite their Professional Advisors into the estate planning process. Moreover, once involved, we strive to keep you informed and involved at all stages of the estate planning process.
Should your clients choose to engage our firm at this point, a follow-up meeting to sign documents and begin implementation of the plan will be scheduled ... normally within 3 to 4 weeks. This meeting may be quite lengthy, as the attorney will thoroughly explain the planning documents to your clients and to their family members if necessary. The attorney also will explain the trust funding process and provide comprehensive written funding instructions – whether your clients choose to engage our firm in this process, or prefer to complete the process themselves or with your assistance.
Step 2: Signing The Documents
Step 3: Follow-Up
For our LifePlan Membership clients, we have an extensive follow-up system, which we believe helps build stronger client relationships. Our unique membership program ensures that the plan works year in and year out and that clients have access to their trusted team of legal advisors for guidance on any legal or financial matter. For our clients who choose not to be LifePlan Members, we offer a free review of the estate plan every three years – this is the maximum amount of time that should pass between reviews. Things change: the laws change, financial affairs change and the people they care about change.
We are happy to work with you to speak to your clients or prospects on estate planning issues, including basic estate planning, charitable giving strategies, generation-skipping and other advanced topics, business succession or asset protection. Please call the office if you would like to plan a workshop.