Licensed in 14 States·Family Counsel Since 1962·Confidential & Privileged
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The library
we share freely.

Checklists, articles, and reminders we use with clients — collected here and made available before you ever pick up the phone. Estate planning is too consequential to be opaque.

The 14-Item Estate Readiness Checklist

The fourteen-item readiness checklist.

Download the complete checklist we walk through with every new client. It will tell you in twenty minutes whether your existing plan is current, dangerously stale, or absent entirely. PDF, ten pages, no signup required to view.

— From The Firm Library —

Recent writing.

Library books
— Living Trusts —

Why an unfunded trust does nothing at all

The most common mistake we see is a beautifully drafted trust that was never actually funded. Here is what funding means, and how to verify yours is complete.

Eleanor Fairhaven9 min read
Document signing
— Probate —

What probate actually costs in 2026

Court fees, executor fees, attorney fees, and the months they take. A region-by-region breakdown — and the trust provisions that avoid each.

Theodore Harrow12 min read
Family estate
— Family Office —

The dynasty trust, in plain English

Generation-skipping trusts, GST exemptions, and dynasty vehicles — explained without the tax-attorney shorthand, for clients considering one.

Marisol Vega-Ruiz15 min read
Hands clasped
— Healthcare —

The advance directive conversation

How to talk with your healthcare proxy before there is a hospital room involved. Practical, kind, and the questions that actually matter.

Charlotte Renaud7 min read
Family business
— Succession —

Five years to a clean handoff

The succession runway most family businesses underestimate, and the four documents that turn a vague plan into an enforceable transition.

Marisol Vega-Ruiz11 min read
Old leather book
— Plan Hygiene —

Six life events that require an update

Marriage, divorce, birth, death, relocation, and a meaningful change in net worth. Why each one demands a fresh look at the plan.

Eleanor Fairhaven6 min read
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— Annual Plan-Review Reminder —

One short email, every twelve months.

An annual nudge to reread your plan, verify your beneficiary designations, and consider whether anything has changed. No marketing, no sales — only the reminder.

— Frequently Asked —

The questions our clients ask first.

Do I need a trust if I already have a will?

Not always — but in most cases yes. A will alone runs every dollar through probate, which is public, expensive, and slow. A funded living trust avoids probate entirely while leaving you in full control of your assets during life. The decision depends on your jurisdiction, your real-estate holdings, and your privacy preferences.

How long does the planning process take, beginning to end?

Five to seven weeks for a standard living-trust plan, from engagement to signed binder. Family-office engagements run eight to twelve. We can accelerate where life events require — for terminal-diagnosis planning we have signed complete plans in eight days.

Can I make changes to my plan after signing?

Yes. Revocable instruments — wills and revocable living trusts — can be amended or revoked at any time during your life. Codicils to a will and amendments to a trust are inexpensive engagements. Irrevocable instruments, by design, cannot easily be undone — and we will tell you so before you sign one.

What happens to my plan if I move to another state?

Most provisions of a properly drafted plan remain valid across state lines, but some require revision — particularly healthcare-directive forms and witness protocols. We license in fourteen states; if you relocate within them, we update your plan at no additional fee for the first three years.

Do you handle international or multi-jurisdiction estates?

Yes, with the right partners. For estates involving foreign property, dual citizenship, or non-U.S. beneficiaries, we coordinate with vetted counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. The complexity warrants a family-office engagement and a written engagement letter that sets scope clearly.

Is the initial consultation really complimentary?

Yes. Thirty minutes, by phone or in our offices, with one of our partner attorneys. No sales pitch, no obligation, and no fee unless and until you sign an engagement letter. Most clients find the call clarifying whether or not they choose to proceed with us.

Ready to begin? Reserve a consult.

Thirty minutes with a partner attorney. Complimentary. No obligation. You will leave with a written quote and a clear plan structure.

Reserve Your Consult