FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
At Phelps LaClair we despise billing by the hour even more than you despise paying by the hour. We believe that a long-term, trusting relationship with you can exist only when our work is done for a reasonable flat fee that is disclosed up front after your free initial consultation. No need to keep one eye on the clock during our meetings; no need to fear calling us with a question; and no surprise invoices in your mailbox!
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Creating your estate plan or having your existing estate planning documents reviewed and updated typically involves the following steps: STEP 1: Schedule Your FREE Initial Consultation Whether you already have an estate plan or not, you are entitled to a 1-½ hour no cost, no obligation consultation with one of our experienced attorneys. Appointments can be scheduled by calling our office or messaging us on Thumbtack. STEP 2: Prepare for Your Initial Consultation After your initial consultation has been scheduled, we will send you a link to complete our very user-friendly Estate Planning Interview. Completing this interview will help us stay on task at the consultation so we can give you the best advice possible. STEP 3: Attend the Initial Consultation and Begin Designing Your Plan The primary goal of the initial consultation is to help us understand your family dynamics, priorities, values, goals and concerns in order to gain some insight about the proper planning for your particular situation. Our goal at this meeting is to learn more about you and help you better understand your estate planning options. STEP 4: Signing Meeting Usually about 3 weeks following your planning meeting, you will meet with your attorney again to go over all of your documents and sign them. If your estate plan includes a living trust, we will also discuss what follow-up needs to happen in the way of “funding” your trust by transferring your assets into your trust. We will help you through the funding process until we know it’s done! STEP 5: Staying in Contact – The Phelps LaClair Free “Lifetime Service Package” Our approach is unique. The signing of your estate planning documents is the beginning, not the end, of our relationship. We realize that our clients will only have peace of mind if they know their planning remains current. As your family changes, as your assets change and as the law changes your plan may need to be updated to accommodate these changes. For this reason, we invite you to dust off the cobwebs and meet with us at least every 3 years for a free checkup meeting. This is just one part of the Phelps LaClair Lifetime Service Package. Unlike many other attorneys in the area, we charge no annual fees for this service.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Phelps LaClair is a well-established Arizona law firm with over 40 years of experience, and all of those years have been devoted to estate planning. We have designed thousands of estate plans! We also have attorneys with advanced degrees in accounting and tax law, which means we can offer advanced level income tax, estate tax and wealth preservation strategies for clients with larger estates, closely-held businesses or “high risk” assets such as rental properties.