Before Your Conference

If you are new to our firm and already have estate planning documents in place, please complete our Estate Planning Questionnaire and provide copies of your existing estate planning documents (Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney and/or Health Care Instructions).

If our firm prepared or last updated your estate planning documents more than five (5) years ago, please complete a new Estate Planning Questionnaire.

If our firm prepared or last updated your estate planning documents within the past five (5) years, we will provide you with an asset schedule for your review and update. We ask that you return any revisions, along with any applicable information sheets.

Why We Ask for Updated Information

Even if you are contacting us about what appears to be a limited change, revisions to one part of an estate plan can affect other documents, assets, beneficiary designations, or planning objectives. For that reason, our attorneys generally review the estate plan as a whole before recommending or preparing revisions.

This comprehensive review allows the attorney to:

• Confirm that your plan continues to reflect your wishes;

• Review the ownership of your assets and how they are expected to pass upon your death;

• Confirm that your documents work together as intended;

• Identify provisions that may need to be updated;

• Consider opportunities to minimize probate, taxes, or future administrative burdens; and

• Determine whether the change you are considering affects another part of your plan.

If your documents were prepared by another law firm: Because we do not have the planning history or background information available to the attorney who originally prepared your documents, we need an opportunity to review your complete estate plan and current circumstances before recommending or preparing changes.

What To Expect

• Before the ConferencE—Our estate planning team will review the information and documents you provide, together with applicable materials already maintained in our files.

• During the Conference—The attorney will discuss your current circumstances, goals, existing documents, and any specific changes or concerns you would like to address. Depending upon your circumstances, the discussion may include asset distribution, fiduciary selections, trusts, probate avoidance, beneficiary designations, incapacity planning, and other estate planning considerations.

• After the Conference—Based upon the discussion during your conference, the attorney will generally be able to recommend what, if any, changes should be made to your estate plan and explain the next steps for implementing those recommendations.

Understanding the Cost of Your Conference

Typical Professional Time

As a general guideline, an Estate Planning Review & Update Conference typically involves at least:

• 1 hour of paralegal time reviewing and organizing the asset and other information provided and existing estate planning documents; and

• Approximately 2 hours of attorney time for preparation, the conference itself, and preparation of notes documenting the discussion and recommendations.

The actual time and cost will depend upon the complexity of your existing estate planning documents, the information that must be reviewed in advance of the conference, the matters you would like to discuss, and the length of the conference itself.

The fee estimate above is for the review and conference process only and do not include the cost for the preparation or revision of estate planning documents.

Current Hourly Rates

• Attorneys: $375–$425

• Paralegals: $275–$290

• Legal Assistants: $225–$250

All hourly rates are subject to change.

Fees for Any Updates to estate planning documents

Based upon the discussion during your conference, the attorney will generally be able to recommend the documents or revisions appropriate for your estate plan and provide you with a quoted fee for that work.

Following the conference, we will provide an engagement letter outlining the recommended scope of work and associated fee. If you decide to proceed, substantive drafting will begin after we receive the signed engagement letter and payment of the quoted fee.

Providing Your Documents

You may provide requested materials by email, mail, or dropping them off to our office.

Prefer a secure upload? Contact clientrelations@bcw-lawyers.com to request a secure upload link.

Making the Most of Your Conference

You do not need to know exactly what changes should be made before your meeting. Determining whether changes are appropriate is part of the review process.

We encourage clients to be informed and engaged in the estate planning process. However, we recommend caution when relying on general internet resources, artificial intelligence tools, or other materials that are not tailored to your particular circumstances or applicable state law. Estate planning is highly fact-specific, and strategies that may be appropriate for one person may be unnecessary or unsuitable for another. Extensive research into techniques that do not apply to your situation can sometimes create confusion and require additional conference time, billed at our regular hourly rates, to explain why a particular strategy may not be appropriate. We are always happy to answer your questions, but the most productive approach is often to share your goals and concerns with us and allow us to recommend the planning tools best suited to you.

Providing complete and current information in advance allows the attorney to spend more of the conference discussing your questions, goals, and recommendations rather than gathering background information.

We look forward to meeting with you and helping you with your estate planning needs.