I offer free discovery calls, and the other day, I spoke with someone who was trying to complete an online questionnaire for a do-it-yourself trust service. They had so many questions:
Who should I pick as my trustee?
Who should be the guardian of my child?
What about the money I inherited from my dad?
Do I need a trust or a will?
I tried to be kind. I explained that if they hired me, I would answer all of these questions—and many more.
They said, “But that costs a lot. It’s expensive.”
Yes, it is expensive to have your trust prepared by an attorney. But there’s a reason.
We spend years—and thousands of hours—learning the answers to these questions. Attorneys like me, who are State Bar Certified Specialists in Trusts, Probate, and Estates, invest heavily to become true experts. Every year, I complete 36–40 hours of advanced education on estate planning, probate, Medi-Cal planning, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. This is how I stay up to date on how to keep your family out of court, save taxes, and navigate changing laws that could impact you.
After 33 years in this field (and 43 years as an attorney), the answers come easily to me. That experience allows me to make the process look simple—like all I do is “fill in the blanks.” But every time I take a class, I’m reminded how easily a mistake can happen when someone thinks it’s just that easy.
If you want answers to your questions—and peace of mind that your plan will actually work—you need to hire an experienced professional.
Yes, it costs more to work with me. But a mistake will cost far more.
When you invest in having an expert take care of your estate, your family may never realize just how much you saved them. They won’t have to go to court or spend thousands fixing avoidable errors. All they’ll know is that you “did everything right.”
If you’re ready to protect your family and your legacy, give me a call.
