The Estate Planning Process

At Crary Buchanan, we take a unique individualized approach to estate planning in order to provide you with a plan that is customized to you, your family, and your life. Our process starts by gathering pertinent information, then we have an educational consultation. Next, we create your plan and provide you with ample time for review. Once your documents have been finalized, we will safeguard your original documents at no charge. Below is a further breakdown of our estate planning process.

Step 1: Information Gartering

The first step involves information gathering. We will provide you with our client questionnaire that you complete. It is our starting point to assess your and your family’s needs. A questionnaire is a tool that provides us with the necessary information to have a pertinent discussion regarding your plan. While you should not spend an inordinate amount of time gathering the requested information, we have found that having this data available at the initial conference greatly aids both of us in focusing our discussion on your issues. Your initial consult is free, even if you decide not to proceed through our process.

Step 2: Educational Consult

At our initial consultation, we will take the time to address your concerns and discuss your goals. We will address the ownership of your assets and the best way to own certain assets while addressing the applicable law and estate planning documents that fit your situation. We will discuss who will be the best person to assist you when you can no longer make decisions on your own, as well as, the person to handle your affairs after your passing.

If you currently have a CPA or financial advisor, we are happy to involve them in the process if you wish.

Step 3: Customized Plan

We then work together to design an individualized estate planning package that meets your specific needs depending on your goals and concerns while focusing on your financial and family needs.

Step 4: Review

We feel it is important that you understand your estate planning documents and how they function. Once we have prepared your estate planning package, you will have ample time to review your drafts, ask questions, and consider any necessary changes.

Step 5: Finalization

Once your estate plan is completed, we can be as involved or uninvolved as you wish. If your estate plan includes a trust, we can assist you with the funding and transfer of assets to your trust. If you prefer to handle matters on your own, we will provide you with the necessary language to properly transfer your assets and send you on your way. We do our best to meet each client’s specific needs. If you wish, we will safeguard your original estate planning documents in our office. We can also provide annual reviews of your plan to address any life changes and to keep you informed of any legal changes that may affect your plan.

Schedule your free consultation today or call 772-287-2600.