Getting Started
The first step is for you to either schedule a 15-minute introductory phone call to learn more about us, or if you’re ready to start your plan, schedule your consultation.
You may either schedule online or call our office at 858-432-3923 to schedule your appointment. We see clients Tuesday through Thursday. We also offer limited evening and weekend sessions if needed to make planning as convenient for you as possible.
Before Your Appointment
Upon scheduling your appointment, you will receive a Family Wealth Inventory and Assessment and other important information that you will want to review and complete in order prepare for your appointment. Please be certain to submit your completed assessment at least two days before your meeting. A link to the online assessments are provided below. If you rather print and hand write your assessment, please contact us and we’ll send it to you by secure email platform.
Online Assessments:
Family Wealth Inventory and Assessment
Estate Plan Review Worksheet (for existing or past clients only)
Pet Trust Information Sheet (if interested in setting up a pet trust)
If you have an existing estate plan, please make sure you submit those to our office at least two days before your appointment so they can be reviewed in advance. During our time together, we’ll look at what would happen with your assets and how your loved ones would be impacted if something were to happen to you under the current plan you have, which is either the estate plan you currently have in place or the plan the State has for you.
We will then design a roadmap to get a plan in place that reflects what you want to happen. We are always delighted when clients share that if they had known how easy the process would be, they would have done it years ago.
Day of Your Appointment
If we are meeting for your estate planning, please allow two hours for the planning session. The purpose of the meeting is twofold:
1. To identify whether there is a good fit between us; and
2. To educate you about the law and what would happen in the event of your incapacity and when you die if you had your current plan or no plan in place.
When you understand what would happen under your current plan, you can determine what you want to be different. We will help you make the necessary decisions that will give you peace of mind.
If you decide that you need a new plan, we can get started on designing it right away.
What is the Next Step?
Once we have completed the design of your plan, you will schedule a convenient time to sign your documents, generally about four weeks from the initial meeting.
We are dedicated to ensuring that you easily understand your plan. This gives you comfort that things will happen the way you want them to when something happens to you. You’ll know that your loved ones will be in excellent hands with us. Once you sign your planning documents, your assets and loved ones are protected as discussed during the design meeting.
In addition to providing you high-quality estate planning documents that you will understand, we verify that your assets are being transferred into your Trust properly so that your plan will actually work as intended. During our time together we review your asset spreadsheet and we ensure that all of your questions are answered.
What Happens After I Sign My Estate Plan?
You will see that the smooth process of preparing your estate plan is only the beginning of our relationship. Plus, you may revise your planning documents at no charge for up three full months after you sign them.
Additionally, our office will send letters to all of the important people you have named in your plan letting them know what to do if something happens to you. This helps ensure that your plan will work the way you intend it to work.
After documents are signed, the planning phase is complete, and the maintenance phase will commence. In order to ensure that your plan stays up to date, we offer a no-cost review meeting every three years. Additionally, we will keep you informed about changes in the law and other issues that affect your family and your wealth through my valuable e-newsletter and client communications.
If you elect to participate in our membership program, there are additional benefits, such as annual no-cost reviews, discounts off of future legal services and a number of other valuable services.
Please remember that we are always here for you. We want to hear from you and won’t charge you for phone calls, emails or other communications to answer questions about your estate plan.
We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy and painless the entire planning process will be. To get started, click here. We look forward to being of service to you and your family!
