Our Process
We believe in a Three Step Strategy for creating estate plans that work. Our process is designed to ensure your confidence that your plan addresses your personal needs, each step of the way. Every decision is reviewed with you multiple times, yet the entire process takes only a few weeks.
Peace of Mind Planning Session
The planning process begins with an initial meeting that we call the Peace of Mind Planning Session. This is a two-hour educational meeting to discuss your goals and planning options available. It’s also an opportunity for us to meet, just your family and our firm, so we both can determine whether there is a good fit between us.
During the meeting, we’ll walk you through exactly what your loved ones would need to do, and what would happen to your assets, if something happened to you. If you don’t like the outcome of the status quo, then we will discuss planning options and alternative solutions until we find a plan that fits your needs.
Assuming there is a good fit between you and our firm, we’ll help you choose a planning level and fee that is right for you (we have multiple planning levels available to accommodate your needs, and the fees are all inclusive, so there are no surprises). We will then schedule your Counseling & Design Meeting, the next stage of our process.
The Counseling & Design Meeting
There are two goals of the Counseling & Design Meeting:
- To gain an understanding of who you and your family are.
- To begin designing a plan tailored to the needs of you and your family.
We’ll begin by asking you questions about you and your loved ones, with the goal of gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics of your family life. Our role is that of a listener. We are not here to judge, render opinion, or interrupt you. We may ask a few clarifying questions along the way, but otherwise, the floor is yours. Of course, everything discussed is confidential and privileged, so it’s a safe environment for open discussion.
When you are ready, we’ll begin designing your plan. The planning options are virtually infinite, but together we’ll use the information gathered in the first half of the meeting to design a plan that best fits your goals, objectives, and family dynamics. Along the way, I’ll use stories and examples to educate you about the relevant points of law and guide you through the design process.
For some clients, we will need to schedule a second Counseling & Design Meeting to complete the design process. About four weeks after the completion of the Counseling & Design phase, you’ll return to our office for your Signing Ceremony and Funding Meeting.
Signing Ceremony & Funding Meeting
We’ll start the Signing Ceremony by reviewing your plan with you to make sure it fits just right and addresses all of your goals and objectives. Once we are both satisfied that it is complete, we will guide you through signing all of the various documents.
We see signing your estate planning documents as just the beginning of our relationship with your family. Next, our Funding Coordinator will guide you through the process of properly titling your assets and accounts, updating beneficiary designations, and other critical steps to ensure that your plan will work as intended. This is a critical part of the estate planning process that is often neglected. But if your assets are not titled properly, your plan will not work!
We will review your asset report with you to verify that all of your assets are set up correctly and that all of your questions are answered. We’ll continue to track the titling of your assets until all the necessary actions have been completed.
Delivery Meeting & Priceless Conversation
At the final meeting of the initial planning process, we’ll guide you in passing on more than just your financial wealth. Through Priceless Conversations and other tools, we’ll also help you pass on your far more valuable intellectual, spiritual, and human assets—who you are and what’s important to you. Most estate plans are only able to transfer your financial wealth to future generations, but intangible assets like your values, experiences, stories, and wisdom are often lost when someone passes. We’ll help you pass on this intangible wealth right along with your financial wealth.
At the conclusion of this meeting, we’ll also deliver your final estate planning portfolios and review your asset report to verify that all of your assets have been appropriately titled.
What Happens After I Take My Estate Planning Portfolio Home?
After the initial planning phase is complete, the maintenance phase of your plan begins. We stay in regular communication with our clients via our email newsletter and print newsletter at no additional charge. And, if you participate in our affordable Maintenance and Education program, you will have an opportunity to review your plan and the titling of your assets on an annual basis, to ensure your plan will continue to work. Plus, we will provide your family with a number of other valuable services.
Click to read more about the Three Step Strategy and our Maintenance and Education Program.
If you’re ready to get started, call Cindy, our Client Services Director, at (919) 443-3035!