FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
(Plans range from $2,000 to 8,000 with great variability. Family Wealth Planning Sessions are a flat fee of $750 and that fee is applied to your estate plan cost above.) As you can imagine, I get the question “how much does an estate plan cost” quite frequently. Given that there is not a “one-size fits all solution” for every family... I know from experience that I would run quickly away from any lawyer who can tell you exactly what your plan would cost via email or over the phone, without a comprehensive discovery process. This is exactly why most estate plans fail. Families shop around based on price (because they don’t know any other way to shop for an estate plan), and end up with a traditional plan, which is a set of documents that do not actually work when the family needs them. Many times the plans are never even funded. Here’s what I can assure you: I've priced my estate planning for you and your family at the intersection of affordability and effectiveness. I start all of my plans with a Family Wealth Planning Session, which is designed to get you more financially organized than you have ever been before, and ensure that no matter what happens none of your hard-earned assets will be lost to the State Department of Unclaimed Property, when something happens to you. Even if you never do any planning with me, the Family Wealth Planning Session alone is a hugely valuable process for you and your family, because you will create a full inventory of your assets and ensure your family knows what you have. Then, when we meet in person, we will review everything you own, and discuss everyone you love, and you will understand exactly what would happen to everything you own and everyone you love, in the event of your death or incapacity. If you do not have a plan, we will cover the plan the State has for you. If you do have a plan, I will review your current plan with you. (I call this an estate plan review and check-up). If you are not happy with your current plan (or the plan the State has for you) you will tell me what you would want to change, and we will look at the most effective, efficient and affordable way to achieve your goals. Here’s the most important part for you to know about this: you will be making informed, educated, empowered decisions for the people you love, not just shopping around based on price. And the best part is that as part of this process, you will actually choose your own fee from the 3-tiered plan based on your budget and the planning options that are most important to you and your family. There is no one size fits all choice. I have created a process to educate you quickly and effectively so that you can make empowered, informed choices about what you want for the people you love, so that you aren't simply choosing the cheapest option because you don't have any other basis for making your decisions.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
How I Work My process begins with a Family Wealth Planning Session. Before the Session you will complete homework that will have you feeling organized and put together and knowing you are well on your way to checking this huge burden off of your list. During the Session, we will look at what would happen to all of what you have and everyone you love, if anything were to happen to you. Then, we’ll determine a plan together to make sure everything goes the way you want it to so you are always in control, and so your family always knows just how much you care. Should we decide there are things I can do to take care of your family better than they are taken care of now, I will present you with planning options that allow you to decide on your fee and the level of service that is right for you and your family.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have been practicing for almost 18 years, I am licensed in 5 states and I was previously a managing partner in a large firm in Atlanta. I went out on my own to be able to provide this specialized leve, of service to my clients in my unique way.