ESTATE PLANNING PACKAGES

ESTATE PLANNING PACKAGES

The Estate Planning Package is a flat-rate fee. This package includes the following legal documents:

• Simple Will for Non-Taxable Estate
• Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
• Medical Power of Attorney
• HIPAA Authorization (for the release of medical information)
• Living Will (Directive to Physicians)
• Declaration of Guardian
• Declaration of Guardian for Children
• Medical Power of Attorney for Children
• HIPAA Authorization (for Children)

The package pricing depends on if you are an individual or a couple.

Simple Will

When used  – A simple will provides for a general gift of all of your property to: 1) your spouse, if living, and if not, to your children in equal shares; or 2) less than five heirs in equal shares or in stated percentages.

A contingency trust that provides for the management of property for the benefit of minor heirs is included in a simple will free of charge. A contingency trust allows your trustee to manage the assets of a minor beneficiary until he or she reaches a designated age. All other trusts fall outside of the provisions of a simple will and work on such trusts shall be billed hourly.

Requirements  – In order for a simple will to serve as a solution:

1. Your Will must only provide for a general gift of all of your property to: 1) your spouse, if living, and if not, to your children in equal shares; or 2) less than a five heirs in equal shares or in stated percentages. Any deviation means you will be billed hourly for the work done on your estate plan);

2. Other than a contingent trust, your estate plan must not require any trusts or other complex estate planning techniques;

3. The total value of your taxable estate must be less than $11.58 million to be sure no tax planning is required in your Will.  Your taxable estate includes your interests in: real estate, life estates, cash, stocks, bonds, notes, annuities, financial accounts (including “Payable on Death” or “Joint Tenant with Right of Survivorship” accounts), retirement accounts, businesses, many trusts (revocable or otherwise), personal property assets, powers of appointment, life insurance policies that pay out upon your death, other property that transfers upon your death, etc.;

4. You must be a Texas resident.

Advanced Estate Planning

When used  – When a simple will cannot effectively address your estate planning goals.

Requirements  – You must be a Texas Resident.

Step 2: Select the Payment Arrangement

Estate Planning Packages

Estate Planning packages that contain Simple Wills and ancillary estate planning documents such as powers of attorney and living wills (see above).

Advanced Estate Planning for an Hourly-Fee

If a more sophisticated estate plan is required to address your estate, there is no way to know in advance how complex your estate plan will be.  There is also no way to estimate costs.  The only fair way to bill attorney’s fees for these types of cases is to bill fees on an hourly basis.  No flat fees are available.

Upon receipt of the Prospective Client Information Worksheet, your proposed estate plan will be reviewed and an appropriate retainer that will be required to complete your estate plan will be requested. Fees will then be billed against the retainer on an hourly basis as the work progresses. Effective January 1, 2019, The hourly rate for attorney’s fees is $300 per hour. The hourly rate for paralegal work is $100 per hour.