We understand that your family is the most important thing in your life. Their needs and financial security will always come first. You are probably here because you’re interested in speaking with an estate planning attorney in Palo Alto, CA. After all, you understand your duty to safeguard them, even when you are incapacitated or no longer here.
The worst thing you could do is to put off your estate planning because tomorrow isn’t promised, and without an estate plan, the courts and California law will have significant sway in making these decisions for you if you haven’t already set up the necessary legal documents for you and your family.
Talk to an estate planning attorney in Palo Alto to learn more about your options and how you can protect those you love.
Estate planning is the process of determining who will manage your estate and make financial and medical decisions on your behalf when you are no longer able to.
It can help prevent turmoil in the family after your death, and it avoids unnecessary hardship and legal fees that your loved ones may have to pay in the absence of a last will, durable power of attorney, and other legal documents.
Each estate plan that we make is uniquely suited to your and your needs. Most of our plans start around $5,000, but we do offer a College Care Plan that starts at $1,750.
Contact us today for a free consultation and to learn which plan is best for you.
Our Estate Plan consists of several elements. Here’s what you can typically expect:
This legal document allows your chosen assets to be placed in a Trust. Trusts can provide certain tax benefits and help your family avoid going through probate in the event of your passing.
Have you thought about what will happen when you can no longer make medical decisions for yourself? Do you want to be resuscitated or donate your organs to someone who may need them? You can use this legal document to specify your desires and who you would like to make these important decisions for you.
You worked hard for everything you have, and when it’s time to pass it down, you must ensure that your assets go to the people that you want to have them.
This document will give the person you choose the authority to act on your behalf in the event that you are unable to make the decision or are deceased.
Estate planning is one of the most important things you can do to plan for and protect your family’s future and financial security. Working with a trusted estate planning attorney in Palo Alto, CA, will help to give you peace of mind about your family’s future.
Give us a call today to book your free consultation, and let’s discuss your unique situation and needs!
In short, yes. Death is unavoidable. An estate plan protects not only your family and assets, but will also give you peace of mind that your assets will be properly managed when you are gone.
An estate plan created by Von Rock Law is a solution to protecting and preserving your estate in the case that you die or become incapacitated. It contains the following legal documents:
A legal document that places some or all of your assets in the control of a trust during your lifetime
A legal declaration of a person’s wishes regarding the disposal of their property or estate after death
A durable power of attorney refers to a power of attorney which typically remains in effect until the death of the principal or until the document is revoked. A durable power of attorney, the durability of which must be explicitly stated, remains valid even in the event the principal is unable to make personal decisions due to incapacity.
A legal document that explains how you want medical decisions about you to be made if you cannot make the decisions yourself. An advance directive lets your health care team and loved ones know what kind of health care you want, or who you want to make decisions for you when you can’t.
An estate plan not only ensures your family and assets are protected in the case you die or become incapacitated, but it also helps your estate avoid being subjected to probate, a long and costly process.
Our Custom Estate Plan is a comprehensive trust-based estate plan which is appropriate for most estates including those with minor children or other minor beneficiaries, for those requiring protections for beneficiaries and for blended families. This estate plan works toward eliminating probate court proceedings, appointing successors to manage the Trust after your death, and directs the distribution of your assets.
One 30 minute consultation meeting by telephone, video conference or in person
Revocable Living Trust
Certification of Living Trust
Last Will & Testament **
Durable Power of Attorney **
Advanced Health Care Directive **
Authorization of Release of Medical Records (“HIPAA”) **
Assignment of Personal Property **
Personal Property Memorandum **
Trust Transfer Deed (one property)
Recording Deed with county recorder
One opportunity to request edits to above documents with respect to client-provided information
Recording fees included
Preliminary Change of Ownership Report
Final signing meeting
Complete instructions regarding plan
Notary fees included
Personalized estate planning binder with all original documents
Digital PDF copies of your entire plan
Additional Deeds with ancillary documents and recording fees begin at $1000 for California properties and for out of state US properties, subject to confirmation of non-California recording fees.
Up to five hours with our staff for emails, phone calls, zooms or in person meetings to address your questions regarding the maintenance of your estate plan, funding, coordination with agents, potential amendments, family meetings or other ongoing trust maintenance concerns.
A 5% discount on billable matters for which you may further retain us, such as drafting additional plan documents and amendments, or for another practice area.
Deluxe custom estate plans are appropriate for individuals with substantial assets and sophisticated planning needs, and who require estate tax planning features for estates exceeding the estate tax threshold of $12,060,000 for individuals or $24,120,000 in community property for married couples. These plans include all of the offerings of the Custom Estate plan, but will also address such circumstances such as complicated blended families, citizenship issues, multiple real estate holdings, multiple beneficiary designations, integrated special needs trusts, or otherwise more sophisticated distribution plans.
We are offer a college care plan that will allow parents to still be able to act for their 18+ children for medical, financial and legal purposes, and to distribute the child’s assets should the child pre-decease the parent. This plan includes a Durable Power of Attorney, Advance Health Care Directive, HIPAA and Simple Will which identifies not more than two beneficiaries with outright inheritance. Further, this plan includes a generic FERPA Consent Form that will authorize parents to communicate with a college regarding the student’s classes, transcripts, grades and more. Many educational institutions will have their own forms for this Consent which may be required, but if not, our standard form should be accepted.
This plan includes a 30 minute consultation and the cost of online notary fees arranged by this office. Digital and paper copies of the plan documents will be provided.
Estate Plan revisions are provided on an hourly basis and estimates of the projected cost are provided to the client before work commences. Simple revisions to Estate Plans are often in the 2 – 3 hour range, with more complex revisions taking longer, bearing in mind that each circumstance is unique.
PLEASE NOTE – We will not amend plans that we did not draft. We will prepare re-statements of Trusts and new documents for planning documents we did not generate.