Our Planning Process… This guide provides you with what to expect and our approach in helping clients with their estate planning, asset protection, and business planning goals.
While no two clients or situations are alike, we’ve included the ‘typical’ phases of our planning process, to give you an idea of what your should expect…
Our planning process begins with a meeting with our planning team – Becky, Tiffany, and Kat.
Our Initial Consultation:
The Estate Planning, Asset Protection, & Business Planning process starts with our initial consultation.
During our initial meeting (most clients prefer phone or zoom!) we will get to know one another and discuss your current situation, current planning (if applicable), your concerns, and goals. We often review any of your previous documents (trusts, estate planning, corporate / LLC) or other important info to best prepare for our meeting.
In order to prepare, we ask you to give us the background information requested in our secure Client Intake Portal (Decision Vault), so we can familiarize ourselves with your situation before our meeting. This way, our time together can be more substantial +productive (rather than merely spending time gathering info!).
Reach out with any questions about the Intake Process, or to set up your Consult…
Step #1: Retention
- At our consultation (or shortly thereafter for more complex plans), we’ll create a custom-tailored plan to meet your individual family, business, financial, and long-term goals and objectives.
- Along with your Plan Design, you’ll receive an expected timeline to complete your project. You can always ask us questions about our plan design, and we can make changes in accordance with your wishes and goals.
- As most (98%!) of our planning work is billed on a flat-fee basis, we’ll give you a fee quote with your Plan Design, so you’ll know the costs associated with your plan.
- To officially retain us, we’ll need your signed Retention Agreement (usually sent via DropBox Sign for easy e-signature) + deposit (which can be paid online via PB Law’s secure LawPay payment portal).
Step #2: Info Gathering
- Right after we’re retained, we’ll send out your Welcome Packet which outlines all of the next steps.
- We also send you a summary of any info we may still need you, so we can move on to drafting your plan documents.
- Once you send over any missing information, we’ll reach out to schedule your Signing Appointment.
Step #3: Drafting
- Once we have all info from you, we will start working on your drafts & reach out to schedule your Signing Appointment.
- (This is where we do all the hard work behind the scenes! ).
Step #4: Plan Review
- Before your signing, we’ll send over your Estate Plan Snapshot, our version of a Cliff’s Notes® summary of your plan.
- Your fully-customized Plan Snapshot includes an easy-to-digest abstract of the most important parts of your plan- your Decision Makers, Beneficiaries, Customizations + Directions we’ve included in your plan documents.
- For select advanced Estate + Asset Protection Plans, we’ll also send you a Structure Diagram which provides a visual, informative overview of all of the entities and key information about your Plan.
- After you’re reviewed, you’ll let us know if you have any edits or changes you’d like us to make before we finalize your docs.
Step #5: Signing
- We hold most of our Plan Signings, in person at our offices in Summerlin South.
- Our Signings are hosted by a PB Law attorney + we provide the the required Notary + two Witnesses, so you don’t have to stress about ensuring your plan is legally executed!
- We also offer a Remote Online Notary option- a 100% Virtual Signing Experience- for Clients wishing to legally execute their docs from the comfort of home.
- After your signing: We’ll typically send you a PDF of your legally executed documents immediately after your Signing– if you’d also like a hard copy, we can organize them for you in a (pretty) customized, tabbed Plan Binder for your convenience!
Step #6: Funding your Plan
- We want you to feel confident that your plan will be effective and work the way it’s supposed to! Funding is the process of legally transferring your assets into the appropriate entity (trust/company/etc.).
- The #1 reason why estate plans do not work is that they are not properly funded... to alleviate this problem, we want to be here for your throughout the Estate Plan Funding Process!
- For trust-based plans, this is the process of re-titling your assets into your Trust – we prepare a customized Funding Checklist + Funding Instructions for you, which includes your details and a simple, personalized checklist for you to follow to ensure your plan is funded, so it actually works the way it’s supposed to!
- We will work with you and your team of advisors (financial planners, tax advisors, bankers, etc.) toto assist you in transferring assets into their proper place per your Plan Design.
- Also, PB Law usually handles your Deed + Homestead recording for your home– right after your Signing!
Read more – Trust + Estate Planning FAQs…
Read more – Estate Planning + Revocable Living Trusts…
Read more – Asset Protection + Nevada Asset Protection Trusts…
Read more – Advanced Estate Planning Options, Estate + Gift Tax Planning…
Read more – Business Formation + Business Planning…
The PB Law Concierge Plan®: Our Maintenance Program
The year following your Trust signing, Estate Planning clients are eligible to enroll in our optional PB Law Concierge Plan, which is a continuation of the personal service you’ve received during your Estate Planning process. Our flat-fee Concierge Plan is designed to provide you with an annual Plan Review Meeting, as well as providing access to your attorney and our staff- without the fear of being billed by the hour.
This helps you, the client, and us, your personal attorney, to keep in regular touch throughout the years as things change in the law, in your life, and in your situation, so that we can help make sure your plan works for you for the long-haul!
Remember- Changes that may affect your planning include:
- Changes in the Law;
- Changes in your Family;
- Changes to your Decision Makers;
- Changes in your assets;
- Major Life Events… and lots more!
We mindfully limit membership in the PB Law Concierge Plan® to no more than 30 clients per year, so that we can be sure to provide the highest-level of personal service to each of our members and clients.
Key Benefits of the PB Law Concierge Plan® include:
- An annual meeting with your attorney to discuss your current plan, answer any funding questions you may have and address any changes that may be necessary to your plan;
- Complimentary phone calls/emails to address questions that may arise regarding your plan;
- Ongoing help & assistance with your Trust Funding Process;
- One free, simple trust amendment per year;
- Access to our Trusted Referral database (real estate agents, financial planners, insurance agents, and lots more); and
- Notary Services: We notarize documents throughout the year at no additional charge – even if the documents have nothing to do with your estate plan.