Pricing
How Much Does It Cost To Work With an Estate Planning Attorney?
If you’ve decided to set up an estate plan, you’re probably wondering how much it costs. Unfortunately, most attorneys don’t disclose their pricing, which can vary widely. The range is due to a variety of factors, including the experience of the attorney and the quality of the documents you’d receive. There are even cheap online DIY companies that have done a good job making people believe estate planning is a simple fill-in-the-blank process. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of people who choose these cheaper options and believe they’re protected. In some instances these cheap documents were done so poorly, the person would have been better off doing nothing at all.
Let's Get Real: No hidden fees. No gimmicks.
Dawson Law LLP® is one of the few Firms that openly discloses its pricing, so you know your costs upfront. The Firm’s prices are usually more expensive than others, especially when compared to the seemingly endless supply of inexpensive, boilerplate options found on local internet searches. If there’s only one takeaway, it’s this—You Get What You Pay For. Estate planning, when done correctly, is not a quick fill-in-the-blank process. It requires an incredible amount of knowledge, experience, and ability to apply the law in ways that actually carry out your visions and goals, versus being forced into inefficient and clunky boilerplate documents. Because the importance of quality documents can be hard to convey through a website, people will often make decisions based on price alone. It’s not uncommon for someone to meet with an attorney for a free consultation, have some general questions answered, and then go price shopping for the lowest bidder. There’s a good chance you’ll find others advertising to “complete” your estate plan for lower fees. One thing you’ll always get with Dawson Law LLP® is straight talk.
No “Fill-in-the-Blank” Forms Here: have a plan that's actually drafted for you.
Some lawyers who say they do estate planning are general practitioners, and there’s nothing wrong with that. They’ll do a divorce today, handle a DUI tomorrow, and then draft an estate plan the next. It’s not uncommon for the Firm to review these estate plans and quickly determine they’re simply boilerplate documents where a previous client’s name was just swapped out for yours. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find the previous client’s name in your documents—you might want to check! Wouldn’t it be better to work with a law Firm that does estate planning full-time? Instead of getting forced into a generic estate planning box with fill-in-the-blank documents, Dawson Law LLP® will actually draft your estate plan so you can feel confident that it’s designed around YOU.
Aren’t Online DIY Forms Good Enough? well, maybe.
“Good enough” is a bit like saying a D- is still a passing grade. Popular DIY companies have done a good job making people believe that simple fill-in-the-blank forms are all that you need. There is, however, an enormouse difference between simply having your documents completed and having those documents completed correctly. The majority of errors we discover are found in cheap $499 boilerplate Wills, or from fill-in-the-blank documents purchased online. Sometimes these errors are minor, and other times they’re so bad it would have been better for the person to have done nothing at all. Many of these cheap documents are not drafted in statutory form, which means they don’t adhere to Texas law and fail under scrutiny. For example, a cheap, fill-in-the-blank Will that fails when probated, causing your property to be distributed against your wishes, often to heirs you never intended to receive your property. While low budget options may seem like a quick fix, they can lead to very expensive problems at a time when you need your documents to work.
My Financial Advisor said he can take care of it.
It’s not smart having your estate planning left to anyone other than an experienced attorney. Financial advisors don’t have the necessary training and because they’re not allowed to provide legal advice or draft your documents, far too often their “solution” to estate planning is to simply sell you a life insurance policy. Unfortunately, most financial advisors are really just commissioned salesman and because their compensation is based on sales, many financial advisors will discourage their clients from speaking with an experienced estate planning attorney who they fear may “kill the sale” or look into the appropriateness of what you’ve already been sold. If this happens to you—RUN—it’s a huge red flag and no service professional, including Dawson Law LLP®, should ever feel concerned about having their work product reviewed by another professional.
FLAT-FEE ESTATE PLANNING
Initial Consultation: $515.00 per hour.
Simple Estate (Individual): $1,500
Simple Last Will and Testament
Disability Documents*
Representation limit of 3 hours**
Simple Estate (Married): $2,000
Simple Last Will and Testament
Disability Documents*
Representation limit of 4 hours**
Silver: $6,000
Pour-Over Last Will and Testament
Revocable Living Trust
Disability Documents*
Administration of the formal signing ceremony
Scanning, binding, and delivery of executed documents
Gold: $8,500
Pour-Over Last Will and Testament
Revocable Living Trust
Disability Documents*
Administration of the formal signing ceremony
Scanning, binding, and delivery of executed documents
Assistance with post execution trust funding and implementation
*Disability Documents noted above include: Medical Power of Attorney, Financial Power of Attorney, Guardian of Person and Estate, Guardian of Minor Children (if applicable), HIPAA, Advanced Directive, and Disposition of Remains.
**Billed hourly for services rendered in excess of the initial representation limit.
Please note the fees quoted above are for non-taxable estates only. All flat-fee matters require payment-in-full at the time of engagement. Please contact the Firm should you have questions regarding the costs for completion of asset protection planning and/or estate planning for a taxable estate.
Disclaimer: The fees stated above are amounts the Firm generally charges for the related matters. However, fees may be subject to change based on your specific situation and legal needs.
Asset Protection: $515.00 per hour.
Business Planning: $515.00 per hour.
Wealthy individuals and business owners face special challenges when it comes to protecting and passing on their assets to heirs.
Probating can be complex, and Dawson Law LLP® can help guide you this process
to help ensure an efficient administration of the estate.