Probate and Estate Planning
I handle basic estate planning. For most people this includes a will with a trust for any minor children, a health care power of attorney, and a durable power of attorney for finances, a living will, and final disposition instructions. These are essential documents for all adults. I typically charge $175.00 per person for the estate planning package. You may also want to consider TOD deeds, POD accounts and other probate avoidance strategies.
I also handle probate matters if you have had a death in the family. Some people think transferring assets and taking care of debts of the decedent are routine matters. They are not. You want to make sure the probate is handled properly to avoid any problems with real estate titles, creditors, and the taxing authorities. Whenever real estate is being transferred or sold as part of an estate there will be tax issues and tax filing requirements with the State Department of Revenue. I charge $150.00 per hour for my work on probate cases. If you are concerned that attorneys fees will eat up the whole estate, that is not true, at least not with me. My attorneys fees for estates that have a value of less than $200,000.00 are typically in the range of $2,000.00 – 4,000.00. I would be happy to discuss an estimated charge for your matter.