Simple Will and Estate Documents: Flat Fee

A will allows people to direct how their estate is handled and divided after their death.

Business owners have additional matters to consider when it comes to planning for their death or disability, such as its impact on their business, their partners and employees, as well as their clients and customers.

Proper estate planning involves more than preparing a will; it includes advance directives, medical releases and powers of attorneys to address situations in which you require emergency medical care and are unable to speak for yourself, or for situations in which you become temporarily or permanently disabled.

However, many procrastinate, hoping they won’t have to worry about such things for many years.

For many, the unpredictable expense of legal services is reason enough to put off such matters. In addition, estate planning can be a morbid topic, so it’s only natural to avoid thinking about such things.

However, tragedy can strike without warning, and, in addition to their shock and grief, loved ones can struggle with how to handle family finances, business transfer and continuation, medical and funeral expenses, and many other issues.

Wouldn’t you rather be the one to decide who is in charge of your business, your property, or your own care when something happens to you?

If so, then you should ensure that you have a clear, up-to-date and effective estate plan. Estate planning allows you to provide clear instructions to your family and business partners so that they can make decisions and be empowered to take the actions you want taken.

The alternative is to leave such matters to state statutes and courts, which add needlessly to the expense, stress and confusion of the situation.

While we can’t help you avoid death or disability, we can help make sure your family and business are prepared to understand and implement your wishes when it becomes necessary. And our Flat Fees can help eliminate at least one reason to procrastinate: unpredictable legal expenses.

Flat Fee Texas Wills & Estate Planning Documents

Our Flat Fee services include initial consultations, assistance in gathering relevant information about your assets and beneficiaries, the preparation of documents, and the execution and notarization of documents at our offices (or detailed instructions if you prefer to have the signing done elsewhere).

Although the needs of each estate will dictate the amount of work needed, we are able to handle most typical estate planning matters on a flat fee basis. This allows our clients to better manage expenses and prioritize their resources.

Basic Will:

$525 – Simple Will (only)

$750 – Full Simple Estate Package. This includes a Simple Will, plus ancillary docs (as desired):

Living Will (Directive to Physicians)
Statutory Durable Power of Attorney
Medical Power of Attorney
HIPAA Authorization (for medical info release)
Declaration of Guardian

Married Persons (requires signed Joint Representation Disclosure)

When spouses both want estate documents prepared concurrently, and the documents are substantially similar, we can provide a bit of a discount

$875 – Simple Will for each of husband and wife with reciprocal or “mirror image” terms

$1,250 – Full Simple Estate Package for each of husband and wife with reciprocal or “mirror image” terms

Value

Many people appreciate the need for a will and other estate documents, but are afraid of paying unknown, possibly huge legal fees. To ensure against potential “sticker shock” of a huge legal bill, our firm tells clients upfront what costs to expect to from us regarding their will and estate documents (see above).

Some people try to minimize costs by using cheap or free standardized legal documents or online services like legalzoom.com and hope they have done things correctly. While these options have their place in certain situations, the danger with cookie-cutter forms or “do it yourself” is that, if documents aren’t clearly and correctly drafted or formalities are not properly handled, the estate planning process might prove to be ineffective when the time comes to use them.

With our flat fee services, you get the best of both worlds: trustworthy expert advice and assistance to walk you through the entire process of preparing your legacy planning documents at an affordable, transparent, and predictable cost.

Limitations

Flat Fees are not appropriate for all situations. The above packages envision no estate tax or other complex issues, nor any trusts (except for simple minors trusts for children provided in the wills). If a more sophisticated estate plan is required to address your estate, the costs would likely increase. In such instances, me may need to refer clients to another law firm for such matters.

Moreover, the flat fee does not include any additional work, such as significant revisions to documents, or review or edits to other agreements such as shareholder agreements, corporate buy-sell agreements, or other contracts. Any additional work beyond the items described above will be billed at our standard hourly rates. Of course, if additional work is needed, we provide a budget in advance.

Payment

All flat fees must be paid in advance. As a courtesy, we accept Paypal and most major cards – and we don’t increase our charges if that’s how you choose to pay.

Contact Us Today

If you are interested in preparing a will and/or other estate documents, contact us today so we can help preserve your wishes and protect your personal assets.