Estate planning is a crucial step in ensuring that your assets are managed and distributed according to your wishes. At our firm, we have developed a comprehensive nonemergency estate planning intake process designed to streamline and simplify this important task. Below, we outline the general steps involved in this process, from initial contact to the execution of your estate planning documents.

Initial Contact and Conflict Check

The first step in our estate planning intake process begins when you contact our firm. Upon reaching out, we will send you an initial intake form. This form serves a dual purpose: it allows us to gather basic information about you and your estate, and it helps us perform a conflict check to ensure that there are no potential conflicts of interest.

Scheduling the Consultation

Once the conflict check is complete and no issues are found, we will proceed to set up a consultation. This meeting is an essential part of the process, as it allows us to understand your estate planning needs and objectives in more detail.

Detailed Intake Form

After scheduling the consultation, we will send you a more detailed intake form. This form delves deeper into your estate planning needs and provides a comprehensive overview of your assets, family configuration, and initial thoughts on who you might want to appoint to manage your estate. The information gathered from this form is critical in helping us tailor our services to your specific circumstances.

Information Gathering and Evaluation

The detailed intake form allows us to evaluate your estate planning needs based on the configuration and scale of your assets. We will also gather information about your family structure, which is essential for creating a plan that best suits your family's needs and dynamics. Additionally, this form provides us with a starting point for understanding who you might want to have in charge of managing your estate.

Consultation Meeting

With the initial information collected, we move forward to the consultation meeting. During this meeting, we will discuss your goals, objectives, and any specific considerations or concerns you may have. We will also gather clarifying information that will help us better understand your decision-making process and the factors that influence it. The consultation meeting is an interactive session where we ensure that all your questions are answered and that we have a clear understanding of your estate planning needs.

Proposing a Strategy and Pricing

Following the consultation meeting, we will prepare and send you a written proposal for services. This proposal will outline our proposed strategy for your estate plan and provide a detailed breakdown of our pricing. You will have the opportunity to review the proposal and ask any questions you may have. Once you agree to our terms and make the required deposit, we will commence work on your estate plan.

Commencement of Work and Draft Preparation

Upon receiving your approval and deposit, we will begin drafting your estate planning documents. Our goal is to have these drafts ready for your review within one week of executing the proposal. However, please note that during certain times of the year, such as the end of the year, this timeline may be extended due to the volume of requests we receive. We generally recommend that individuals looking to complete their estate planning before the end of the year schedule their consultation with our office prior to October 1st to avoid any potential delays.

Draft Review and Finalization

Once the draft documents are prepared, we will set up a review appointment with you. During this appointment, we will go over each document in detail to ensure that they accurately reflect your wishes and intentions. If any changes are needed, we will make the necessary revisions. At this time, we may also execute the documents or set a final signing appointment, depending on your preference and readiness.

Conclusion

At our firm, we take pride in providing a thorough and personalized estate planning intake process. By following these steps, we aim to make the journey of planning your estate as smooth and efficient as possible. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that your estate plan meets your unique needs and provides you with peace of mind for the future. Should you have any questions or wish to begin your estate planning process, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to guide you every step of the way.