INDUSTRY INSIGHT
ESTATE PLANNING
SPONSORED CONTENT
ESTATE
PLANNING
Doesn ’ t Have to be Complicated
I
think a lot of folks put off doing their estate planning because , let ’ s face it , no one really wants to dwell on their own mortality . That being said , the other biggest reason for such procrastination is probably the fear that it is going to be a complicated and expensive process to pursue . However , the reality for the vast majority of us it that our estate planning needs are usually pretty straightforward and can generally be addressed at a very affordable cost .
I know many people associate hiring a lawyer or a law firm with spending big bucks and incurring steep hourly billing rates , but the reality is that most basic estate planning documents are often provided on a flat fee basis . At the law firm of American Wills & Estates we ’ ve been assisting clients in Pittsburgh and throughout Western Pennsylvania with a full spectrum of estate planning legal services for over 25 years . We probably provide ninety-five ( 95 %) percent of our legal services on a flat or set fee basis and we haven ’ t changed our prices for many of these services in a number of years .
Often times when meeting with a client for the first time , we ’ ll find that the individual ’ s estate planning needs can be addressed by the preparation of a simple Last Will and Testament , Durable Power of Attorney and a Living Will ( sometimes called an Advanced Directive ). We can typically prepare these three documents for a client in a single office visit and at a total cost of under $ 200.00 . Likewise , for a married or cohabitating couple this same type of plan can often be done for a total cost of less than $ 400.00 .
Obviously , if we get into more sophisticated types estate planning services involving revocable or irrevocable trusts , special needs trusts , marital trusts , etc ., the overall cost of the plan can increase . Even then , we still typically provide even those more advanced types of estate planning services on a flat or set fee basis .
The bottom line is this , putting an effective estate plan in place does not have to be a scary or expensive undertaking , but not having any kind of estate plan in place should scare the heck out of you . We all work way too hard to simply roll the dice when it comes to passing on our hard earned legacies to our loved ones .
If you ’ ve been procrastinating when it comes to addressing your own estate planning needs , it ’ s time to stop . Give us a call today at ( 412 ) 381-7370 to schedule your free legal consultation or visit our law firm online at www . americanwillsandestates . com .
We ’ ve been addressing our clients estate planning and probate estate administration needs with competency , compassion and care for over 25 years . Give us a call today .
Lloyd A . Welling , Esq . Attorney Welling received his law degree from Duquesne University School of Law in 1992 . He started the law firm of American Wills & Estates in 1997 and has practiced exclusively in the areas of Probate Estate Administration , Estate Planning and Real Estate law since that time .
Carlynton-Montour | Fall 2017 | icmags . com 13