07 Jun Online Estate Planning
Phelps LaClair, with offices in Chandler, Mesa, Phoenix and Scottsdale, is a relationship law firm. That means our job is not about just preparing documents. We are here to help you from the beginning to the end. With the variety of estate planning tools available, we will help you design your estate plan based on your goals and desires. We may recommend living trusts, tax saving strategies, long-term care planning or an LLC—whatever is best for your particular situation. We help implement your estate plan so it will work in real life and not just on paper. And we remind you to keep your plan up-to-date over the years. Then we help your loved ones administer and reap the benefits of your plan in your absence.
With the COVID-19 crisis and current restrictions, you now have the option to work with us from the safety of your own home with online estate planning. The process is very much like a person-to-person meeting, but most of the work can be done online and through video conferencing. These are the steps involved:
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 at (480) 418-1366 or by clicking here to request a free consultation.
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. We ask that you complete the interview as best you can at least 24 hours prior to your free consultation.
Attend the Initial Consultation
Normally, this step would involve a face-to-face meeting with one of our estate planning attorneys. Now, we can offer the initial consultation over a secure meeting website. We will send you a link that you click on to join the meeting. Then you simply follow the prompts to get audio and video. It’s really easy!
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.
Fees
At the end of your free consultation, we will give you a firm, flat fee quote based on the services we will provide (NOT based on a percentage of your net worth). We do not bill by the hour. Our fees are all-inclusive so you never have to worry about getting a surprise bill in the mail, even when you call us with questions years down the road!
Review Meeting
Usually about 2-3 weeks following your planning meeting, you will meet with your attorney again to go over all of your documents. You may still elect to have a face to face meeting, but if you choose, the review can also be done online. If your estate plan includes a 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!
Signing the documents
This is a step that must be accomplished in person due to the necessity of notarizing signatures. At this time, we can also do the review meeting live instead of online.
Staying in Contact
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 plan 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 trust review. 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.
Estate Planning Done Right!
We know that estate planning is a long-term relationship—it is not a blind date or a quick fling. We are in it with you for the long haul. Call today at (480) 418-1366 or by clicking here to request a free online estate planning consultation, or to schedule any other appointments with us. Whether in person or online, we are here for you.
Images used under creative commons license (Commerical Use) 06/07/2020 Photo by Matthew Henry from Burst