At the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman in San Jose, we help residents of San Martin and surrounding Santa Clara County prepare thoughtful estate plans tailored to their families and assets. Estate planning covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives that together preserve financial security, provide for loved ones, and reduce uncertainty after incapacity or death. This page explains common documents such as revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, and trust certifications, and describes how our firm approaches each engagement so you can make informed choices about protecting what matters most.
Whether you are updating an existing plan or starting from scratch, clear guidance and careful drafting matter. We discuss practical options like revocable living trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, special needs trusts, and guardianship nominations to help match legal tools to family goals. Every plan is created with attention to California law and local court procedures, including Heggstad and trust modification petitions where needed. Our approach emphasizes accessible explanations, organized documents, and durable provisions that ease administration for your successor trustees and chosen representatives.
A well-crafted estate plan provides control over distribution of assets, continuity of care in the event of incapacity, and a roadmap for family members during difficult times. Through documents like the last will and testament, advance health care directive, and financial power of attorney, you name decision makers and set specific instructions about healthcare choices and asset management. Trust instruments such as revocable living trusts can reduce the need for probate and simplify transfers, while specialized trusts address tax strategies, retirement plan assets, and dependents with special needs. Planning also minimizes confusion and family disputes after you are gone.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman serve Santa Clara County from a base in San Jose, providing estate planning, trust administration, and related litigation services across California. Our firm focuses on clear communication, careful document drafting, and practical problem solving for families, business owners, and retirees in San Martin and nearby communities. We prepare comprehensive plan portfolios including revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, HIPAA releases, and guardianship nominations, and assist with trust funding, certifications, and petitions such as Heggstad and trust modification matters to ensure plans operate effectively when needed.
Estate planning is the process of organizing legal documents and instructions to manage your assets, protect family members, and direct your healthcare decisions if you are unable to act. Core documents include wills to distribute assets after death, revocable living trusts that can avoid probate, financial powers of attorney to manage money while you are alive, and advance health care directives that spell out treatment preferences. Additional instruments such as irrevocable trusts and special needs trusts may address tax planning or long-term care needs. The goal is to create a cohesive plan that reflects personal values and practical realities.
An effective estate plan also considers asset titling, beneficiary designations, and retirement account coordination so that intended transfers happen smoothly. For many families, funding a trust and aligning beneficiary designations on retirement plans and insurance policies eliminates unintended probate proceedings. Planning should factor in California community property rules, potential creditor exposures, and the needs of disabled or minor beneficiaries. Regular reviews and updates help adapt to life changes like marriage, divorce, births, deaths, or changes in asset holdings, keeping the plan current and actionable.
A revocable living trust is a flexible trust that allows you to control assets during life and direct their distribution after death while often avoiding probate. A pour-over will complements a trust by directing assets into the trust that were not transferred beforehand. Financial powers of attorney allow trusted agents to manage finances if you cannot, while advance health care directives document your medical preferences and appoint a health care agent. Irrevocable trusts remove assets from your taxable estate under certain rules and special needs trusts preserve benefit eligibility for disabled beneficiaries. Each document plays a different role in a coordinated plan.
A complete estate planning process begins with a discovery meeting to identify assets, family relationships, and planning objectives. Next comes drafting and coordinating documents, including the trust agreement, will, powers of attorney, and directives, with careful attention to beneficiary designations and asset retitling. Signing and notarization procedures follow, and crucially, funding a trust by transferring assets into trust title is often necessary to achieve desired outcomes. Ongoing maintenance includes periodic reviews and amendments as circumstances change, plus assistance with administrative tasks after a client’s incapacity or death.
Knowing common estate planning terms helps you make informed choices. This glossary covers frequent items such as revocable living trust, pour-over will, power of attorney, advance health care directive, and Heggstad petition, explaining how each functions and when it is used. Understanding these terms clarifies how documents interact and which tools best address family priorities, tax considerations, and incapacity planning. If unfamiliar language appears in your documents, asking for plain-language explanations ensures practical understanding and confidence in how arrangements will operate when needed.
A revocable living trust holds assets under a trust agreement that you can change or revoke during your lifetime, allowing you to manage assets seamlessly if you become incapacitated and providing instructions for distribution at death. The trust typically names a successor trustee to administer assets without court involvement when you can no longer act. Although assets placed in the trust remain accessible while you are alive, proper funding and beneficiary coordination are essential to achieve the intended probate-avoidance and privacy benefits. Trustees must follow the trust terms and state law when administering trust property.
A pour-over will operates alongside a trust to catch any assets that were not transferred into the trust during life, directing them to the trust upon death. This ensures assets mistakenly left outside the trust still flow into the trust’s distribution plan, though such assets may initially require probate to transfer. A pour-over will provides a safety net and helps preserve the comprehensive nature of a trust-centered plan, but proper asset retitling and beneficiary designations remain important to minimize probate exposure and simplify administration for successors.
A financial power of attorney appoints an agent to manage your financial affairs if you are unable to act, with durable forms remaining effective during incapacity. The document can grant broad or limited authority to pay bills, manage investments, handle real estate transactions, or conduct banking. Choosing a trusted agent and specifying any limits safeguards your finances while minimizing the need for a court-appointed conservatorship. Regular review ensures the agent designation aligns with current relationships, and successor agents can be named in case the primary agent cannot serve.
An advance health care directive allows you to express medical treatment preferences and appoint a health care agent to make decisions on your behalf if you cannot speak for yourself. This document can include instructions about life-sustaining treatments, hospitalization, palliative care, and organ donation, helping guide family members and providers in alignment with your values. A HIPAA authorization is often included to permit information sharing with designated individuals. Clear directives reduce uncertainty and support coordinated care when medical crises occur.
A limited approach might involve a simple will and basic powers of attorney, suitable for smaller estates or straightforward family situations, while a comprehensive plan includes trusts, coordinated beneficiary designations, and specialized documents for tax or incapacity concerns. The choice depends on asset complexity, family dynamics, and long-term goals. Comprehensive plans can mitigate probate delays, provide continuity for incapacitated persons, and address nuanced distributions such as for blended families or beneficiaries with special needs. Understanding trade-offs helps families choose the most appropriate level of planning for their circumstances.
A limited plan can be appropriate when assets are modest in value and easily transferred through beneficiary designations, joint ownership, or small estate procedures, and when family relationships are uncomplicated. In such situations, a will, basic power of attorney, and health care directive may provide adequate guidance without the need for trust administration. Simplicity can reduce upfront costs and paperwork while still documenting decision makers and healthcare preferences, so long as the plan aligns with California law and the practical needs of your family at the time.
Families with limited assets that are not subject to complex tax rules, creditor exposure, or special beneficiary needs may find a focused set of documents adequate. When retirement accounts and insurance beneficiaries are already aligned, and there is no need for lifetime management of children or dependents with disabilities, a straightforward plan can provide clear instructions without the additional steps required for funding and maintaining trusts. Periodic review keeps the plan current as financial situations and family structures evolve over time.
Comprehensive planning becomes important when you own a business, real estate across multiple jurisdictions, retirement plan assets, or investments that require careful coordination to achieve tax or succession goals. Trusts can protect family wealth from probate, provide management continuity, and address the smooth transfer of business ownership. A full plan reviews titling, beneficiary designations, and trust funding to reduce unintended outcomes and to preserve liquidity for estate settlement, helping heirs gain access to assets without unnecessary delays or legal complexities.
If your family includes blended relations, minor children, beneficiaries who require long-term care, or someone receiving public benefits, a comprehensive plan can provide detailed instructions and protective structures. Special needs trusts preserve public benefits while providing for quality of life, and tailored trustee arrangements can guide distributions to minors or vulnerable beneficiaries. Clear successor designations and trustee powers reduce disputes, and counseling on guardianship nominations and trust oversight gives families assurance that long-term needs will be managed thoughtfully.
A comprehensive estate plan promotes continuity, privacy, and administrative efficiency by coordinating trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and medical directives. Trusts often reduce the time and cost associated with probate and permit more private handling of asset distributions. Well-drafted plans also name fiduciaries, outline successor administration, and provide clear processes for incapacity, minimizing family conflict and confusion. Comprehensive plans are proactive, anticipating common post-death challenges and structuring guidance that supports orderly management and distribution of assets in line with your wishes.
Additionally, a full plan can preserve benefits for vulnerable beneficiaries, manage tax exposure where possible, and create mechanisms to handle retirement plan and insurance proceeds effectively. Trust administration provisions and certification of trust documents ease financial institutions’ acceptance of trustee authority. Planning in advance also allows for the selection of trusted agents and successor trustees, sets out contingency plans, and documents preferences for healthcare and end-of-life care, making transitions less disruptive for family members who must carry out your wishes.
One principal benefit of a comprehensive trust-based plan is the potential to avoid probate, which can be time-consuming and publicly expose asset details. By funding a revocable living trust and coordinating beneficiary designations, many assets can transfer privately and directly to beneficiaries under the trust’s terms. This streamlines trustee duties, reduces court involvement, and may decrease costs and delays. Careful attention to titling and documentation during the planning phase enhances the practical effectiveness of probate avoidance strategies in California.
Comprehensive planning protects vulnerable beneficiaries by using instruments such as special needs trusts and retirement plan trusts to maintain eligibility for public benefits while providing for supplemental needs. Trustee provisions can stagger distributions, establish spendthrift protections, and appoint fiduciaries who manage assets responsibly. By setting clear rules for trustee discretion and oversight, plans can address issues like substance misuse, creditor claims, or financial immaturity, while ensuring that beneficiaries receive stewardship that matches the grantor’s intentions and family values.
Start by creating a thorough inventory of your assets, accounts, insurance policies, and property titles, and note current beneficiary designations. Include digital accounts and passwords and gather deeds, retirement plan statements, and life insurance policies. This organization makes planning more efficient and helps ensure that intended assets flow according to your plan. Keep the inventory updated and provide access instructions to a trusted person so that critical information is available when someone must carry out your directions or manage affairs in the event of incapacity or death.
Life events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, changes in assets, or new tax laws can affect the suitability of your estate plan, so schedule reviews every few years or after major changes. Revisit beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and insurance policies, confirm asset titling, and ensure that trust funding remains complete. Regular reviews keep documents aligned with current wishes and legal developments, reducing surprises and ensuring that appointed delegates remain appropriate for their roles in managing finances and healthcare decisions when called upon.
Starting or updating an estate plan provides peace of mind by documenting your instructions for asset distribution, healthcare decisions, and financial management. Without clear directives, your family may face delays, uncertainty, and court involvement that can escalate costs and emotional strain. A plan protects minor children through guardianship nominations, maintains privacy for estates, and helps ensure that retirement accounts and insurance proceeds are handled according to your intentions. Early planning also allows time to address tax planning and creditor concerns appropriately.
Updating an existing plan is equally important when your circumstances change. Life events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, changes in financial position, or relocation to another state can make prior documents outdated. Reviews allow for adjustments in trustee or agent designations, reconsideration of distribution strategies, and corrections to beneficiary designations that might otherwise produce unintended outcomes. Proactive updates reduce the risk of disputes or administrative difficulties when incapacity or death occurs, helping families move forward with clarity.
Estate planning tends to become a priority at several life stages including marriage, the birth of children, acquisition of significant assets or a business, concern about long-term care costs, or when family dynamics require tailored distribution plans. Seniors and those with health concerns often prioritize advanced directives and powers of attorney to manage incapacity. Families with minor children need guardianship nominations, while those with disabled dependents typically create special needs trusts. Identifying the trigger event helps determine which documents and strategies best address current needs.
Changes in marital status and the arrival of new family members often require updating beneficiary designations, wills, and trust provisions to reflect new wishes and protect dependents. Marriage may prompt joint planning for shared assets, while divorce typically requires removal of former spouses from documents where appropriate. The addition of children or stepchildren raises questions about guardianship, trustee selection, and the structuring of inheritances so that minor beneficiaries are cared for and assets are managed until they reach maturity.
When you acquire real estate, a business, or significant retirement accounts, planning should address title, beneficiary designations, and succession to ensure that these assets pass in the intended manner. Trusts and retirement plan trusts can coordinate distributions and avoid probate for certain properties, while business succession planning clarifies ownership transfer. Properly integrating these assets into an estate plan reduces friction, aligns tax and administrative outcomes with your goals, and prepares successors to manage or liquidate interests responsibly.
The risk of incapacity due to illness or aging makes powers of attorney and advance healthcare directives essential for ensuring that trusted people can manage finances and medical decisions. Planning ahead avoids the need for a court-appointed conservator and enables smoother access to financial resources for care. Long-term care planning may also involve insurance, asset protection strategies, and trust arrangements to preserve resources for beneficiaries while addressing care needs. Clear documentation supports caregivers and reduces uncertainty during stressful times.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman assist San Martin clients with full-service estate planning, from initial document drafting to trust funding and administration. Our practice prepares revocable living trusts, last wills and testaments, financial powers of attorney, advance health care directives, HIPAA authorizations, guardianship nominations, and a range of specialized trusts such as irrevocable life insurance trusts and special needs trusts. We also assist with trust-related petitions, including Heggstad and trust modification petitions, to address court matters that can arise during administration.
Clients turn to our firm for practical guidance, clear document drafting, and reliable follow-through in estate planning matters. We focus on producing cohesive plan portfolios that coordinate trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives to reflect each client’s goals and family circumstances. Our process emphasizes careful review of asset titling and beneficiary designations so plans work as intended, with attention to document execution and trust funding steps that are commonly overlooked but essential for achieving desired results.
We assist clients with specialized documents like retirement plan trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, and special needs trusts when appropriate, and provide practical support with estate administration and trust certification. When court petitions such as Heggstad or trust modifications are necessary, we prepare and file the required paperwork and represent clients through the procedural steps. Our aim is to make legal matters understandable and manageable, equipping families with organized documents and contingency plans that reduce stress during transitions.
Communication and responsiveness are central to our service model. We work to explain options in plain language, outline likely timelines, and provide cost clarity so clients can plan with confidence. Whether updating a simple will or preparing a complex trust arrangement, we tailor recommendations to each household’s priorities and help coordinate with financial advisors or trustees as needed. For San Martin residents, we offer local knowledge of Santa Clara County procedures and a practical approach to ensure documents perform as intended.
Our process begins with a confidential consultation to review assets, family circumstances, and planning objectives. After identifying priorities, we propose a tailored plan and provide a clear fee estimate for drafting and any ancillary services like trust funding or court filings. Draft documents are reviewed with you to ensure understanding and allow revisions before signing. We coordinate notarization and witness requirements, prepare certification of trust documents for institutions, and provide guidance on transferring assets into trusts and updating beneficiary designations to complete the plan effectively.
This initial phase focuses on collecting financial information, identifying family relationships and beneficiaries, and clarifying objectives such as probate avoidance, tax minimization, or care for vulnerable relatives. We gather account statements, deeds, retirement plan information, and insurance policies, and discuss preferences for health care decisions and fiduciary appointments. Understanding these details enables drafting of documents that align with your intentions and reduces the need for later amendments by anticipating common life changes and contingencies.
We review existing wills, trusts, beneficiary designations, and titles to identify gaps or inconsistencies that could affect plan performance. Compiling an asset inventory highlights accounts that require beneficiary updates or retitling to a trust, and flags retirement plan coordination needs. This review helps prevent unintended distributions and ensures that the plan’s documents work together, rather than operating at cross purposes, providing a foundation for clear, coordinated estate administration when the time comes.
During planning consultations we discuss long-term goals, charitable intentions, and legacy priorities, and then you identify trusted individuals to serve as agents, trustees, and guardians. Naming primary and successor fiduciaries ensures continuity and prepares for contingencies. We discuss the duties associated with each role and help clients balance family involvement with the potential need for professional fiduciaries when appropriate, crafting arrangements that reflect family dynamics and the administrative realities of managing assets and providing care.
Drafting involves preparing trust agreements, wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives tailored to the decisions made during the planning stage. Drafts are shared for review and explained in plain language so you understand how each provision will operate. We incorporate instructions for asset distribution, trustee powers, incapacity procedures, and beneficiary protections, and we make revisions as needed to align with preferences. Once documents are finalized, we schedule execution to meet California signing and witnessing requirements and prepare supporting certification documents for institutions.
As part of the drafting phase we coordinate beneficiary designations on retirement plans, life insurance, and other accounts so they match the overall plan. We advise on retitling deeds and financial accounts to trust ownership when appropriate and provide instructions for funding the trust. This coordination minimizes probate exposure and aligns account transfer mechanisms with the written trust or will terms, improving the probability that distributions will proceed efficiently according to your wishes.
Before signing, we walk through each document to confirm that provisions reflect your intentions and that fiduciary appointments are clear, naming successors where needed. We arrange for proper signing, notarization, and witnessing to meet California legal requirements, and we prepare certification of trust forms that trustees can present to banks and other institutions. After execution, we supply organized copies and instructions for trustees and agents so they can act promptly if circumstances require.
After execution, funding the trust and updating account designations are essential to ensure documents function as intended. We provide guidance on retitling assets, recording deeds, and assigning beneficiary designations, and we prepare certification of trust documentation for financial institutions. Ongoing maintenance includes periodic reviews to address life changes, tax law updates, or new family circumstances. We also assist successor trustees and agents with the administrative tasks required to manage assets and carry out your instructions when the time comes.
Funding a revocable trust requires transferring titles on deeds, reassigning account ownerships, and updating registration for investment and bank accounts, which often involves administrative steps with institutions. We provide detailed instructions and sample letters to financial institutions to facilitate the process and reduce potential confusion. Proper funding ensures assets are governed by the trust rather than falling into probate, improving efficiency and protecting privacy for your beneficiaries during administration.
Regular reviews ensure that documents remain current as life events occur, such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, or changes in asset holdings. If modifications are needed, trust amendments or restatements can update provisions while preserving continuity. We recommend scheduled check-ins and can assist with amendments, successor appointments, or new planning tools as circumstances evolve. Ongoing attention to your plan helps maintain alignment between your intentions and the legal mechanisms that implement them.
A will is a legal instrument that specifies how your assets should be distributed after death and can nominate guardians for minor children. Wills generally must go through probate to transfer assets handled under the court process, which can take time and be a matter of public record. In contrast, a revocable living trust is a private document that holds assets during your lifetime and names a successor trustee to manage and distribute property at death or incapacity, often reducing or avoiding probate. Trusts require proper funding by retitling assets into the trust name to achieve those benefits. Choosing between a will and a trust depends on asset complexity, privacy concerns, and family needs. For many people a trust-based plan paired with a pour-over will provides comprehensive coverage: the trust governs most assets and the pour-over will directs any residual items into the trust, offering a backup mechanism. A will remains important for nominating guardians and addressing residual distributions, while powers of attorney and health care directives cover incapacity. Reviewing options with a planner helps align documents with your objectives and California rules.
Avoiding probate in California commonly involves using a revocable living trust and ensuring that assets are properly titled in the trust name or have appropriate beneficiary designations. Joint ownership and payable-on-death designations for bank accounts can also transfer assets outside probate. Small estate procedures may apply in limited circumstances to transfer modest assets without formal probate proceedings, but these vary by value and category of property, so relying solely on assumptions can be risky. To achieve reliable probate avoidance, it is important to coordinate account beneficiaries, retitle deeds into the trust, and confirm that the trust contains clear distribution provisions. A comprehensive review reveals assets that may still be subject to probate and identifies administrative steps to reduce exposure. Certificates of trust and trustee documentation can help financial institutions accept trustee authority when distributions are needed, streamlining administration for successors.
You should create an estate plan whenever you have assets, dependents, or preferences for how healthcare or finances should be managed if you become incapacitated. Common triggers include marriage, the birth of a child, acquisition of significant assets or a business, or changes in family relationships. Early planning provides direction for guardianship, beneficiary designations, and fiduciary appointments, reducing uncertainty and potential court involvement. Starting with basic documents like a will, powers of attorney, and health care directives can establish immediate protections while you develop a more comprehensive plan. Updating an estate plan becomes necessary after life events such as divorce, remarriage, births, deaths, major changes in asset holdings, relocation to another state, or changes in laws that affect estates. Regular reviews every few years help ensure that documents reflect current relationships and intentions, beneficiary designations are current, and trustee or agent appointments remain appropriate. Timely updates prevent unintended consequences and ensure your arrangements continue to function as you expect.
Incapacity planning typically requires a durable financial power of attorney to appoint an agent to manage finances, an advance health care directive to express medical preferences, and a HIPAA authorization to allow access to medical information. These documents ensure decisions can be made by trusted persons and that healthcare providers can share necessary information with those individuals. Additionally, a revocable trust named with successor trustees can allow continued financial management of trust assets without court appointment when incapacity occurs. Selecting clear agents and successor fiduciaries and discussing your wishes with them reduces confusion during crises. The documents should be executed according to California requirements and stored where agents can access them quickly. Periodic review ensures that designated agents remain appropriate and that instructions reflect current views about medical care and financial management.
Providing for a family member with special needs often involves establishing a special needs trust that holds assets for their supplemental care while preserving eligibility for public benefits. These trusts are drafted to avoid counting trust assets as available resources for means-tested programs, and they can be funded by estate distributions, life insurance, or other resources. Naming a trustee with the experience and temperament to manage distributions responsibly is an important decision, and clear trust language guides the use of funds for the beneficiary’s quality of life. Coordinating the special needs trust with government benefit rules and family finances is essential to avoid jeopardizing assistance programs. Regular reviews ensure the trust interacts properly with other planning documents, and successor trustees or guardian arrangements can be established to provide continuity. Professional guidance on integrating benefits and trust provisions helps families create sustainable support for the long term.
A Heggstad petition is used in California to ask the court to recognize that a transfer of property to a trust was intended to be a trust transfer even if formal retitling of the asset into the trust name did not occur before death. This petition can be appropriate when the decedent took substantial steps to fund the trust and intended for the asset to be governed by the trust terms. The court evaluates whether the intent to transfer existed and whether enough evidence supports treating the asset as trust property for distribution purposes. Because Heggstad petitions involve factual analysis and court proceedings, they can be more efficient to resolve sooner rather than later. Where possible, proactive funding of trusts to avoid the need for petitions is preferable, but when oversights happen, a Heggstad petition provides a remedial option to align distributions with the decedent’s intent and reduce the potential for unintended probate administration.
Retirement accounts such as IRAs and 401(k)s are controlled by beneficiary designations and contract terms, so naming appropriate beneficiaries is critical in estate planning. Retirement plan assets often pass outside of probate to named beneficiaries, but coordinating these designations with your will and trust is essential to avoid conflicts or unintended outcomes. Where necessary, retirement plan trusts can be used to manage distributions, provide creditor protection, or preserve benefits for certain beneficiaries while meeting plan rules for distribution timing. Tax and distribution rules for retirement accounts can be complex, especially with inherited accounts and required minimum distributions. Planning considers whether to name individual beneficiaries, trusts, or estates and how those choices affect tax treatment and distribution timing. Regularly reviewing and updating beneficiary designations ensures retirement assets transfer according to overarching estate objectives rather than default plan rules.
Appoint fiduciaries based on trustworthiness, willingness to serve, ability to manage duties, and capacity to communicate effectively with family and professionals. For trustees and agents with financial responsibilities, choose individuals who can handle recordkeeping and decision making or consider appointing a professional fiduciary to work alongside family. Naming successor agents ensures continuity if your primary designee cannot serve. Discuss your choices in advance so appointees understand responsibilities and are prepared to assume roles when necessary. If family dynamics or complexity of assets suggest potential conflicts, consider co-trustees or professional co-fiduciaries to provide oversight and continuity. Clear written guidance in trust documents about decision-making standards, distribution triggers, and dispute resolution reduces friction. Ensuring appointed fiduciaries are adults and legally capable to serve, and naming alternates, prepares the plan to function smoothly when needed.
Yes, revocable trusts and wills can generally be changed or revoked during your lifetime to reflect new wishes, changes in family circumstances, or updated laws. Trust amendments or restatements allow you to modify provisions without creating a new trust, and wills can be replaced by a new will. However, irrevocable trusts typically limit the ability to change terms, so careful drafting is required when establishing irreversible arrangements. Regular review helps determine whether amendments are appropriate as life events occur. When contemplating changes, consider potential tax implications, creditor protections, and effects on beneficiary expectations. Documenting reasons for substantial changes can reduce disputes, and updating related documents and beneficiary designations prevents inconsistencies. Working with counsel to execute amendments properly ensures they conform to California requirements and operate as you intend.
The cost of estate planning varies with the complexity of the plan, the number and type of documents, and whether specialized trusts or court petitions are needed. A simple plan with a will, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives is typically less expensive than a comprehensive trust-based plan that requires drafting, retitling of assets, and coordination with retirement accounts. Specialized trusts such as special needs trusts or irrevocable life insurance trusts involve additional drafting and advice to ensure proper operation. Transparent fee estimates and a clear scope of work are important when choosing representation. Some clients prefer flat fees for defined planning packages, while others prefer hourly billing for complex matters. Discussing objectives and the nature of assets during an initial consultation allows the firm to propose an appropriate approach and provide a fee estimate aligned with your needs and the anticipated administrative tasks.
Criminal Defense
Homicide Defense
Manslaughter
Assault and Battery
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Battery Causing Great Bodily Injury
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence Protection Orders
Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Arson Defense
Weapons Charges
Illegal Firearm Possessions
Civil Harassment
Civil Harassment Restraining Orders
School Violence Restraining Orders
Violent Crimes Defense
Estate Planning Practice Areas