Referring Professionals

The Estate Planning Team

     As a business and estate planning law firm, we work closely with other professional advisors, including Certified Financial Planner™ professionals, Investment Advisors, Financial Consultants, Insurance Professionals, Certified Public Accountants, and Tax Advisors. Because each professional provides a unique insight based on their particular discipline and perspective, we believe that clients are better served through the application of a team approach. Only through the collective wisdom of the entire Professional team can the client be assured that they are receiving the most sophisticated, comprehensive, and effective estate planning possible. Consequently, we encourage our clients to invite other Professional Advisors into the estate planning process in an attempt to establish an open dialogue of communication and creative thought. Once involved, we attempt to keep each of the Professional Advisors informed and involved throughout the entire estate planning process.

The Process

Step One: The Initial Consultation

     We offer all prospective clients a complimentary initial consultation. Prior to that meeting however, we ask that all perspective clients complete a confidential questionnaire and either mail it to us or bring it with them to the meeting. Completion of the questionnaire provides us with valuable basic information that enables our initial time together to be as productive as possible. It also allows the client to begin the thought process involved in planning their legacy. With the clients' permission, we encourage you to attend this initial consultation. If this cannot be arranged, we will seek the clients' permission to discuss their estate planning with you afterward.

     While many estate planning practitioners limit the first meeting to 30 minutes, we take whatever time is required in order to create the necessary comfort level for your client. During this time, we will discuss the general planning process. More importantly, we will begin what we call “the bonding process” where we strive to develop an understanding and sensitivity to your client’s most intimate goals and aspirations in planning their legacy. Our purpose is to establish a foundation for a life-long relationship based on mutual trust and respect that will feel is essential prior to moving forward with the planning process.

     Within a few days after our consultation with your client, we will follow up with an engagement letter. The letter will discuss our planning recommendations and our fee for designing, drafting and implementing the plan. Whenever possible, we will quote a flat fee. Your client may choose to engage our firm by signing the engagement letter and returning it to us with a check for ½ of the cost (or estimated cost if a guaranteed flat fee is not possible) of the plan.

Step Two: Signing the Documents

     Upon receipt of the executed engagement letter and initial fee, we will contact your client and begin work on their estate plan. At this time we also will typically schedule an appointment for us to discuss and execute the completed documents. Depending on the complexity of the estate plan the meeting will usually take place within two weeks of the receipt of the engagement letter. While we are working on the documents and prior to our second meeting we encourage clients to contact us with any questions, concerns or revisions that they may wish to make.

     During the second meeting we will discuss the estate plan in its entirety, explaining the planning documents to your clients, and to their family members if necessary. We will also explain the funding process and provide instructions as to what that process involves. Clients may choose to engage our firm in the funding process, or prefer to complete the process themselves, or with your assistance.

Step Three: Follow-Up

     We have an extensive follow-up system, which we believe helps build stronger client relationships. Each of our clients will receive a follow-up letter after their plan is complete, a client satisfaction survey, and a continued subscription to our estate planning newsletter. Through the newsletter we attempt to keep our clients informed of changes that could affect their planning, and to help them maintain an awareness of their estate planning goals. In this manner we hope to ensure that our clients' plans are never out-of-date with their current needs and goals. Every two years they will receive a personal letter encouraging them to come in to review their plans and make any necessary changes.

Resources

Client Education

     Please visit our Library for an online archive of articles on issues related to estate planning. We have posted a number of articles suitable for use as hand-outs to your clients.

Joint Marketing

     We want to work with you and would be happy to plan an educational seminar or workshop for your clients or prospects on estate planning issues, including basic estate planning, charitable giving strategies, generation-skipping and other advanced topics, business succession, or asset protection. Please call the office if you would like to plan a workshop.

Electronic Newsletter

     Each month we produce an electronic newsletter, on estate planning issues, for professional advisors like you. To subscribe to our online newsletter, simply complete the Subscription form and we will add you to our monthly e-mail list.