Getting Started - Our Five Step Process

We have simplified and streamlined the process of estate planning for our clients into five (5) essential steps:

Step #1: Gathering information about your assets and liabilities. We will provide you with a Questionnaire to assist you in gathering your financial information. Some of this information may be included in a recent financial statement. We do not need exact figures – value estimates will suffice; we will ask for more precise information when required. In the course of completing the Questionnaire and prior to our meeting, you should give thought to where and how you want to direct your assets. We find that the process goes more quickly when the Questionnaire is completed.

Step #2: Meeting with us to discuss your estate plan. Once you have assembled your financial information, we will meet with you to discuss your estate plan. At our initial meeting, we will want to learn about your family and goals, and we may raise questions that have not crossed your mind. After all the necessary issues have been considered, we will present recommendations for achieving your goals in a tax-advantageous manner and as precisely and efficiently as possible. At the end of our initial conference, we will give you an estimate of the fee. Because the cost depends on the professional time we will devote to your estate plan, it will vary with the plan’s complexity.

Step #3: Preparation of documents. Once you have made your choices as to the appropriate planning strategies for you, we will prepare the necessary documents. During this process, we will be pleased to work with other advisors such as your accountant, insurance agent, investment advisor, or trust officer.

Step #4: Review of documents and plan. After we have prepared the documents, we will send them to you for your review. Any questions that you have may be addressed in person, by telephone or through email.

Step #5: Signing of documents. Once the documents have been reviewed, we will put them in final form for execution. Absent unusual circumstances, we recommend that the signing take place at our offices where we are able to supervise their execution with the necessary formalities. After signing, we will prepare two sets of original documents (except for the Will where there will be one original and one copy). We recommend that we keep one set of originals (including the original Will) in our office safe and give one complete set to you. We will make additional copies for you as necessary.

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