How long does it take to make an estate plan?

I would love to help you complete your plan in six weeks or less. You waited a long time to call, so let's get your plan done while you're focused on it. A half-done plan provides no legal protection for your family.

What's the process?

Here's a summary of how our process works:

1. Download the Getting Started Packet from my website.
2. Fill out the Client Questionnaire, or as much of it as you can. It's common to leave some things blank, but you need to choose guardians before we can meet.
3. Make your first appointment online. In order to make the 6 week challenge, you will make 3 appointments in all, each  about 2 weeks apart. We'll help you schedule each one as you go along.
   The Initial Appointment takes about 1 and one half hours, depending on how many questions you've got.
   The Draft Review Appointment takes an hour.
   The Final Appointment takes an hour.
4. Within two weeks, you'll receive draft documents in the mail to review.
5. You'll come back for a Draft Review Appointment to go over the drafts, and to fill in any missing information. I know you're busy, so if you don't do your homework (reviewing the drafts) don't worry - by the end of this one hour meeting, you'll know how your estate plan works for your family.
6. The next week, you'll come back for a Final Signing Appointment. This meeting takes about an hour. You'll sign your final documents and learn about how to take care of your estate plan over time - who to give copies to, how to keep it current, and where to keep it safe.

How much does it cost?

1. The average flat fee to complete a Living Trust Portfolio for a family (which includes a living trust, wills for both spouses, durable powers of attorney for property management, advance health care directives) is $2500. This includes the transfer of your house into the trust and free amendments for the first year after signing. For very simple estates, the fee can be less. There are some additional fees for families with additional properties, private partnerships or businesses, or complicated estates. At the end of the first meeting, you will sign a fee agreement listing all fees. There will be no surprises after we agree on a fee.
2. A Living Trust Portfolio for a single person is $1600.
3. Will Portfolios (includes wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives) are $1250 for a family; $625 for a single person. You do either a Living Trust Portfolio or a Will Portfolio, not both.
4. My hourly rate for amendments, trust administration, probate work, or consultation is $250.

How will I be billed?

For estate plans, one half of the fee is due at the end of the first meeting and one half of the fee is due after the second meeting, when the drafts are approved.

Hourly work is billed on a monthly basis.

Does Structure Law Group accept credit cards?

Yes, we accept Visa and Mastercard.

When Can I Make an Estate Planning Appointment?

The best way to see what's available is to use my online appointment calendar--I try my best to keep it up to date and it will show you what's available for any given day. Generally, I see clients Wednesday-Friday.

How Can Make an Appointment?

Click on Make An Appointment to go directly to my calendar.

How Can I Pick a Guardian?

That can be the most difficult part of estate planning. I can't tell you exactly who to pick, but if you download the article Picking Guardians from the Getting Started page, I hope it helps you find someone.

Where Is Structure Law Group?

1. My Main Office is at 1754 Technology Drive, Suite 135, San Jose. That's right where 101 and 880 cross, by the San Jose Airport. There's a map and directions on the website.
   
2. My satellite Menlo Park Office is at Cubes & Crayons, at 1122 Crane Street next to Carpaccio's Restaurant. You can call them in advance to arrange drop-in child care for your kids during our appointment, at 650/323-2551. There's a map and directions under Directions.