Estate Planning Timeline
The estate planning process typically takes four to six weeks, although it can be expedited if documents are needed urgently. Here is what to expect:
Initial consultation: A brief phone call to communicate with Sarah about creating your estate plan. Before your call, we will send you our Estate Planning Questionnaire to complete in order to make the consultation as productive as possible.
Estate plan recommendation and fee quote: After you fill out the questionnaire and speak with Sarah so she can be sure we can help with your plan, Sarah will send you a recommendation for the legal documents to have in your estate plan, along with a flat-fee quote for the services.
Sign attorney-client agreement: Your attorney-client agreement will detail information such as the services we are providing, the quoted fees and cost estimate, available payment methods, and other important details.
Make a payment: You will be provided with your payment options, including payment in full at the outset with a discount, or installment payments without a discount.
Sarah drafts your documents: When you sign the attorney-client agreement and pay your invoice, Sarah drafts your documents and typically has them available for your review within two weeks.
Review the drafts: Read through the drafts of your documents. We will reach out to schedule a meeting with Sarah (by phone, Zoom, or in person) to discuss the drafts of your documents. This is the perfect time to bring up questions you may have and potential edits for the drafts.
Second drafts: If we decide to edit the documents before the signing appointment, Sarah will make the changes and you will receive updated drafts to review.
Signing appointment: We will meet in person together with a notary and witnesses (that we provide) to sign your final documents. We will scan in the full signed set of documents so that we and you have a reliable backup copy. You will take home your original documents organized in a binder for safe storage.
Consider leaving us a review on Google or Avvo.com: We appreciate your feedback on Google and/or Avvo.com! We also welcome your feedback directly to Sarah or another staff person.
Follow up: We reach out to you at least every two years to check in and to remind you to read through your documents again to be sure they still reflect your wishes. We give you our estate plan update guide that contains a checklist of things that may have changed in your life that could necessitate an update. Our clients receive free review calls every two years, where we can discuss your questions and whether you need to update your plan.
Often people put off completing their estate plan because it feels like a heavy task. That is why you should call us. We support you through the process with a thoughtful, caring approach, to make it as easy and comforting as possible to get your legal affairs in order.
Click below to schedule your Initial Consultation.
