How It Works
Getting an estate plan shouldn’t feel complicated or intimidating. I have designed a straightforward three-phase process that makes it easy to get started, keeps you informed at every step, and ends with documents you understand and feel confident about. Here’s what to expect.
Phase 1 — Discovery:
Before we meet, I’ll ask you to complete my online Estate Planning Questionnaire through a secure client portal. It covers your family situation, your assets, and what you consider most important to protect. Taking the time to fill it out before our first meeting means we can spend that time actually talking about your plan — not gathering basic information.
Our Discovery Meeting typically runs about 45 minutes to an hour. We’ll cover the topics that are relevant to your situation, which may include:
At the end of the Discovery Meeting, I’ll outline a plan that fits your situation and give you a firm, fixed-fee estimate of what it will cost. No surprises.
Phase 2 — Design
Once you’ve decided to move forward, you’ll sign an engagement letter and pay a retainer of 50% of the plan cost. The remaining balance is due when your documents are delivered.
In many cases, the Discovery Meeting gives me everything I need to move straight into drafting. If there are open questions or details still to be worked out, I’ll follow up with a quick phone call or, if needed, a short Zoom or phone meeting to fill in the blanks. Either way, I keep the process moving and won’t let it stall on my end.
Once the details are confirmed, I’ll draft your documents and send them to you for review. You’ll typically receive your draft within two to three weeks. If you’d like to go over the documents together before signing, we can arrange a Zoom review at no additional charge
Phase 3 — Delivery
What we do: make it official and get it in your hands.
When your documents are finalized and any revisions are complete, we’ll schedule your signing meeting at my office. I’ll walk you through the documents so you understand exactly what you’ve signed and what it does. Connecticut law requires witnesses and notarization for certain estate planning documents, and I handle all of that at the signing.
After the meeting, I’ll copy and scan your documents, then send you the originals along with a complete set of copies for your records. I’ll also let you know if there are any follow-up steps on your end — such as transferring assets into a trust or updating beneficiary designations on retirement accounts or life insurance policies.
Your estate plan is now in place. And if life changes in a meaningful way down the road — a move, a marriage, a new grandchild, a significant change in assets — you’re welcome to reach out and we’ll talk about whether your plan needs to be updated.
Ready to get started?
The first step is scheduling a free introductory call. We’ll spend a few minutes getting acquainted, I’ll answer any initial questions you have, and if it seems like a good fit we’ll set up your Discovery Meeting.
Providing Legal Advice for Life
Whether you have questions about estate planning, business planning, or any legal matter, we’re here to help. Schedule a consultation today and take the first step toward peace of mind.