Estate Planning

Estate Planning Decisions

Any complete planning process involves:

1) identifying goals and objectives;

2) developing strategies to achieve these goals and objectives (including alternatives for changing circumstances);

3) preparing the legal documents necessary to pursue these strategies;

4) signing/notarizing the legal documents; and

5) monitoring these records to ensure they continue to support existing goals and objectives.

Estate planning involves determining who will make critical legal, financial, and health care decisions if you are temporarily or permanently unable to do so.  It provides guidance for those making health care decisions for you.  It also involves determining how your resources will be used after your death, including who will own the assets, who will benefit from them, and how they will be managed. It is unfortunate the extent of family disputes, litigation, and unnecessary costs that arise because of the lack of proper planning.

I can work with you to discuss your goals, develop optional strategies for achieving them, determine which of those strategies are optimal, prepare the necessary legal documents consistent with those strategies, and implement those documents. When completed, you can feel confident that you have thoughtfully considered your goals and planned for the future as reflected in your estate planning documents.

To help you understand the potential estate planning documents involved, I have listed below the general purpose of the various documents used in Texas, including references to several e-booklets you can download.

Estate Planning Fee Guidelines

An important part of any client relationship is knowing precisely what the legal services include and what the fees will be. My billable rate ranges from $375-400/hour.  Billing at an hourly rate will always lead to differences from any estimate provided. After almost three decades of legal experience, I have learned that the vast majority of my clients prefer a flat fee.

The fees listed below for various estate plans are guidelines for an average, non-complicated estate plan and work with most clients. Your particular estate planning needs, however, may be more complicated. For example, the need for specialty trusts or complicated estate plans involving business interests will require additional work and fees.

Simple Wills (Document Preparation without Estate Planning Services)

• Brief consultation with Client to obtain necessary information for document preparation
• Preparation of Will
• Preparation of Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
• Preparation of Medical Power of Attorney
• Preparation of Advance Health Care Directive
• Preparation of HIPAA Authorization
• Signing Ceremony at my office with notarizations
• Original documents provided in an indexed, 3-ring binder

(Services do not include evaluating Client’s estate for or providing any estate planning recommendations or services.)

Individual: $875 + notary fee

Married Couple: $1,225 + notary fee (All of the above documents will be prepared for each person.)

Add On: Preparation of Transfer on Death Deed to avoid probate for primary residence ($200)

Wills (with Limited Estate Planning Services to Avoid Probate)

• Consultation with Client to determine Client’s estate planning objectives
• Preparation of draft estate planning documents for Client to review
• Further consultations with Client to answer questions, address concerns, and provide further estate planning guidance for final draft of documents
• Preparation of Will
• Preparation of Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
• Preparation of Medical Power of Attorney
• Preparation of Advance Health Care Directive
• Preparation of HIPAA Authorization
• Preparation of Transfer on Death Deed or Joint Tenancy Deed with Rights of Survivorship for primary residence (as appropriate)
• Signing Ceremony at my office with notarizations
• Indexed binder holding the original documents
• Electronic copy of of all original documents.

Individual: $1,575 + notary fee

Married Couple: $2,275 + notary fee (Except for the Deed, all of the above documents will be prepared for each person.)

Revocable Living Trusts to Avoid Probate

• Review of Client’s financial situation and consultation with Client as necessary to determine Client’s estate planning objectives
• Preparation of draft estate planning documents for Client to review
• Further consultations with Client to answer questions, address concerns, and provide further estate planning guidance for final draft of documents
• Preparation of Revocable Living Trust
• Preparation of Trust Certificate
• Preparation of General Assignment and Bill of Sale
• Preparation of “Pourover” Will
• Preparation of Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
• Preparation of Medical Power of Attorney
• Preparation of Advance Health Care Directive
• Preparation of HIPAA Authorization
• Preparation of Deed to transfer primary residence into Trust
• Signing Ceremony at my office with notarizations
• Indexed binder holding the original documents
• Electronic copy of all original documents.

Individual: $2,250 + notary fee

Married Couple: $3,000 + notary fee (Except for the Trust, Trust Certificate, and Deed, all of the above documents will be prepared for each person.)

Revocable Living Trusts for Estate Tax Planning

The preparation of a Revocable Living Trust with basic estate tax planning provisions for the marital deduction and bypass subtrusts for couples is an additional $1,000 over the fee listed above.

Firearms Trusts

A basic Firearms Trust is $500 + notary fee .  (This is not a standard revocable living trust, which should never be used in place of a firearms trust.) Trusts with specialized or complex provisions will be more. Please contact me to discuss your firearms trust needs.

Additional Information

• You will be able to review these estate planning documents twice and I will make the requested changes to these documents to ensure they meet with your approval. After that, only those changes which I missed or changed incorrectly will be made without incurring additional legal fees at my hourly rate.
• These fees do not include services to change the beneficiaries of nonprobate assets.
• Additional fees will be required to transfer assets into a trust, including real property other than the primary residence.
• These estimated fees may change at any time and a fee agreement is not established until set forth in a signed Engagement Letter.
• Veteran and Active Law Enforcement Discount: 10% (must notify prior to preparation of a retainer agreement)