Call Lynette(323) 251-6011
Initial Consultation
Lynette explains estate planning products and concepts to determine the appropriate products for your specific needs.
Drafting & Review
1. Customized Estate Plan Drafted
2. Client Review
3. Client Revisions, if needed
Signing
Bring ID
Witness & Notarize
Fund your Trust
- Real Estate
- Financial Accounts
- Investment Accounts
If you are like most people ...
... you are unclear on what is involved in creating an estate plan. You are not alone. Some common questions are:
- What types of documents do I need to assemble to start the process?
- What type of estate plan do I need?
- How long does it take to complete?
- How much will it cost?
- What do I have to do once the estate plan is complete?
We will answer these questions below.
Step One is to Call Our Office
Quite often, the hardest part of kicking off the estate planning process is that of embarking on the process. The various questions and aspects it takes to come up with a comprehensive estate plan may seem daunting and feel overwhelming. Believe me, we understand. This may not seem like something that is very enjoyable, however, I like to think it can be. Believe it or not, the favorite part of my job is getting to meet new clients and then sharing with them some interesting options that will be quite beneficial in the long run. There are many estate planning tools that the wealthy use to preserve wealth and minimize taxes. Well, these "secret" techniques are available to everyone. Depending on individual circumstances, we hope to avail you to these techniques, as well!
Once we determine how we can be of service to you, we will set up a date and time for your free initial consultation. This gives us the opportunity to meet face-to-face to discuss your particular situation. We will email you an intake form to gather your contact information and obtain details which will assist us in maximizing our time together at our initial meeting. I will also send you directions to our office and confirm our meeting date and time.
The Initial Estate Planning Meeting
During our initial meeting, we will go through your completed intake form to get a better understanding of your particular situation. I realize how overwhelming the intake form can be. There are several decisions to make that entail a lot of moving parts, many of which pertain to delegating individuals or companies to handle and oversee the various aspects of your Estate Plan. Examples include:
- Naming Beneficiaries
- Determining the Executor of your Estate
- Naming a guardian for your pets and children should you become incapacitated or die
- Naming an individual to handle Power of Attorney
... and more. This may feel daunting and I don't expect you to decide all of this in one consultation. We will have several meetings to flesh all of these details out.
Once I get a sense of your situation and goals, I will suggest some estate planning tools that fit your situation and explain how these tools apply to your particular estate. I will discuss pros and cons of various options and answer your questions.
At the end, I will provide you a flat fee quote for designing and drafting your estate plan. The final part is for you to decide if you would like to move forward and have me draft your estate plan.
Estate Plan Drafting
It will take approximately two weeks to draft your estate plan. During that time frame, you will have the opportunity to make any additions or adjustments to your estate plan and to make final decisions on any of the pending issues that were uncovered during the initial consultation. The estate plan draft will include summaries of each document and a summary of your estate planning wishes. We will also prepare and provide the trust funding documents, which is discussed below.
Signing Meeting
The big day has arrived. You have made some final adjustments, reviewed your estate plan, and are ready to sign the estate plan documents. You will need to bring your ID so that the documents can be notarized and witnessed. Once that is complete, I will hand you a leather binder containing your estate plan, as well as a flash drive with a digital copy of your estate plan.
Funding Your Trust
I know - you thought you were done! Well, this final step is the most important part of estate planning - funding your Trust. Once your Trust is executed, you need to transfer your assets into your Trust. Failure to do so will render your estate plan ineffective. No need to worry. I will help you through the process of transferring assets to your Trust, including real estate, business assets and financial accounts.
ABOUT US
Lynette Williams advises individuals and families on all aspects of estate planning, probate, minimization of capital gains taxes, delaying or preventing future estate taxes. planning for long term care, and setting up a plan for those other members of your family - your beloved pets. She specializes in creating estate planning opportunities for LGBTQ+ individuals and married couples.