Estate Planning

Why Do I Need an Estate Plan?

If you die without any kind of estate plan, your property may be subject to default rules known as intestate laws of succession. A probate court will use these default rules to give your property away to certain heirs and with certain shares that may be very different from your wishes. If you have any children who are minors and they do not have a surviving parent, then a probate court will appoint a guardian for them. Some of the most common estate planning tools are:

Will: A Will (also referred to as a Last Will & Testament) is a critical part of every estate plan. Although a Will still has to go through probate court, a valid Will overcomes the default rules so that your property is given away in accordance with your wishes (with some exceptions). A valid Will also ensures that your minor children are cared for by a guardian whom you appointed (known as a testamentary guardian).

Trust: A Trust is a more sophisticated estate planning tool. It is useful when you want someone (a trustee) to oversee and manage property on behalf of your beneficiaries, such as a child who might otherwise frivolously spend his or her share. A Revocable Living Trust enables you, as the creator of the Trust, to add and remove property from the Trust during your lifetime. Any property in the Trust at the time of your death is managed by the successor trustee for the beneficiaries. A Revocable Living Trust is usually combined with a Will (known as a pour-over Will) which “pours” probate property into the Trust. A Trust requires more work upfront to move your property into it (your home, your bank accounts, etc.) but the advantage is that property in the Trust does not have to go through probate, which can be especially cumbersome when you own real estate in different states.

Power of Attorney: A Durable Financial Power of Attorney empowers your most trusted loved ones to make financial decisions on your behalf. This is useful if you lose the ability to manage your financial affairs due to deteriorating health or mental capacity.

Advanced Directive: A Healthcare Advanced Directive enables you to indicate your healthcare decisions and empowers your most trusted loved ones to make healthcare decisions on your behalf. This is useful if you lose the ability to make your own healthcare decisions due to deteriorating health or mental capacity.

Estate Planning Pricing & Services

Estate Planning Consultation

FREE

Includes:

  • Consultation with a lawyer of up to 20-minutes to discuss your general estate planning goals
  • Learn about what estate planning tools might be right for you

Last Will & Testament

$950

Includes:

  • Preparation of your Last Will & Testament by a lawyer
  • Consultation with a lawyer to talk through your wishes in detail
  • Instructions for witnessing and signing

Revocable Living Trust with Pour-Over Will

$2,500

Includes:

  • Preparation of your Revocable Living Trust and pour-over Last Will & Testament by a lawyer
  • Consultation with a lawyer to talk through your wishes in detail
  • Instructions for witnessing and signing

Attorney House Call to Oversee the Execution of Estate Planning Documents

$600 (Atlanta metropolitan area)

Includes:

  • Lawyer-guided process to ensure all estate planning documents are properly witnessed, signed, and notarized in the comfort of your own home

Financial Power of Attorney & Healthcare Advanced Directive

Complimentary forms provided upon request with the purchase of a Will or Trust

Other Estate Planning Services

Call for Pricing

  • Codicil/amendment to your existing Will or Trust
  • Review of your existing estate plan
  • Business succession planning
  • Special needs trusts
  • And more…

The flat rate pricing on this page is available for persons with non-taxable estates. It does not include tax advice or tax planning, asset protection or creditor avoidance strategies, business succession planning, or estate planning for foreign assets. Pricing for clients with complicated estate planning needs will be determined on a case-by-case basis.