Life and Estate Planning Services
Recommended Documents
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Document
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Why you need it?
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Last Will and Testament
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To identify how you want to distribute your estate upon your passing and who will facilitate that process. Significantly shortens the probate process in comparison to passing away without a will leaving your family with less administrative matters to handle.
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Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
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To name a person to serve as your agent or attorney in fact. This person has the authority to manage your property and financial matters. You can also limit their authority.
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Directive to Physicians and Surrogates
OR Medical Power of Attorney |
This document is commonly referred to as an Advanced Directive. It helps you communicate your wishes about life sustaining treatments if you are unable to make your wishes known due to illness or injury. It also allows you to appoint someone, a health care agent, to make treatment and health care decisions on your behalf.
A Medical Power of Attorney allows you to appointment someone, a health care agent, to make treatment and health care decisions on your behalf. |
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HIPAA Release
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Gives your health care agents access to your medical records.
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Appointment for Disposition of Remains Agent
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States how you want your remains to be handled and appoints a person that will carry out those wishes.
Useful in situations where your family’s personal beliefs may differ about how to dispose of a loved one upon their passing. |
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Appointment of Guardian for Minor Children
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Allows you to appoint a person or persons to serve as guardian of your minor children in the event of your passing or incapacity.
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Fees
Consultations:
15 minutes by phone - Free
One hour in person - $75
Last Will and Testament - starting at $600
Pricing vary depending on complexity of the will.
Attorney present at meeting to execute document included in price.
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney - $75
Directive to Physicians and Surrogates OR Medical Power of Attorney
& HIPAA Release - $75
Appointment of Guardian for Minor Children - $75
Appointment for Disposition of Remains Agent - $50
Full Package - $850
Includes all of the above documents, but only for simple wills.
Additional fees for more complex wills.
$100 discount available for couples.
Consultations:
15 minutes by phone - Free
One hour in person - $75
Last Will and Testament - starting at $600
Pricing vary depending on complexity of the will.
Attorney present at meeting to execute document included in price.
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney - $75
Directive to Physicians and Surrogates OR Medical Power of Attorney
& HIPAA Release - $75
Appointment of Guardian for Minor Children - $75
Appointment for Disposition of Remains Agent - $50
Full Package - $850
Includes all of the above documents, but only for simple wills.
Additional fees for more complex wills.
$100 discount available for couples.
Trusts
What is a trust?
There are 2 major types of trusts: Testamentary Trusts and Living Trusts
Living Trusts
- Trust = legal device to manage property
- Trustee = a person or entity with the right to manage property
- Beneficiary = a person or class of people with the right to use and enjoyment of the property
- Settlor = the person or persons putting their property into a trust
There are 2 major types of trusts: Testamentary Trusts and Living Trusts
- Testamentary Trusts are created within a Last Will and Testament and come into existence upon your passing.
- Living Trusts are created while you are still alive.
Living Trusts
- A Living Trust (LT) is a legal device to manage your property while you are living.
- You do not need an LT to avoid the probate process. The Texas probate process is fairly easy and often costs less than a LT.
- If you are constantly acquiring new property, a LT is not recommended as all property should be included in the trust and acquiring new property requires updates to the LT, thus more legal work and expense.
- A LT does not help you to avoid creditors.
- If creditor avoidance is a concern, then an irrevocable trust will be needed which means the settlor of the trust will need to giving up authority and control of the property they put in trust to the appointed trustee. We do not currently draft irrevocable living trusts.
- A LT is helpful in these situations: 1) you own real property in another state, 2) impending disability is likely, 3) you have heightened concerns about privacy of your estate and property you own, 4) you are post-retirement and no longer acquiring assets often, and 5) if a will contest is likely; capacity to execute a living trust can be more easily proven as the document is often executed earlier in life.
- Price is based on complexity of the documents needed.
Other Life and Estate Planning Services
Please contact us to discuss other life and estate planning services you and your family may need.
Please contact us to discuss other life and estate planning services you and your family may need.