You have probably seen ads for our estate planning workshops, whether in the mail or on social media and I hope for those of you who have attended the workshops, that it has been valuable to you.
Free Education
At Sechler Law Firm, we pride ourselves in offering education which you get at our in person workshops, but it is also available on our website. We have many videos, blog articles and downloadable guides which provide a wealth of information about all things Estate Planning and Elder Law, and this education is FREE.
We realize that while our workshops are valuable and insightful, effective estate planning decisions require a conversation. You need to be able to understand what your options are and which estate planning tools work best for you. Even if you have not attended a workshop, you can access the many free resources from our website here: sechlerlawfirm.com and click the resources tab.
An Estate Plan is not a DIY Project
We realize that not everybody who reads the articles or watches the videos would necessarily hire us BUT, we urge caution against thinking the knowledge you acquire, equips you to do it yourself. Neither should you create an Estate Plan with just any attorney. Some attorneys may handle divorce, litigation and other legal issues, and will tell you they can do your estate plan too. However, that plan could still fail, for a few reasons:
Most law firms don’t fund your Trust.
When you create a trust, to protect your assets, you need to move them into the trust. You have to retitle your home and your bank accounts, and most law firms don’t do that. At Sechler Law Firm, we work with you to make sure your Trust is properly funded.
Most law firms lack the communication with your decision makers about what their roles are.
Simply showing your kids your estate plan will not guarantee that they will be an effective executor or trustee. They need to understand their role, and part of our program involves educating your family, as well as providing the legal documents. We develop a relationship with our clients, and also the children or decision makers of our clients, to make sure the plan works.
Most law firms don’t follow up with you as life changes
Getting a Will and thinking you’ve done your duty is not enough. Maybe you did your Will Twenty years ago, but in the interim you have had many changes in your life. Your kids may be adults now since you did your Will when they were little. Maybe your executor is no longer alive. This may result in your estate plan failing because it has not been updated to reflect your real world situation.
At Sechler Law Firm, we like to form long-term relationships with our clients. When I was in Law School, people spoke about Transactional Law, where you go to a lawyer to get contracts drawn, or for real estate acquisition. I don’t like the term ‘Transactional Law’, since you are not a transaction with our firm. We consider you a member with Sechler Law Firm. We work with you to set up a Living estate plan and not merely sell you some documents to get you out the door.
Creating an Estate Plan Involves:
- Providing you with the education
- Focusing on getting you the correct tools for the job
- Funding the Plan – We change ownership and beneficiary designations. We make sure that your assets get to where they are meant to be for the estate plan to be effective.
- Providing educational events for your decision makers on their roles and responsibilities
- Keeping you updated with educational support as time goes on. We ensure your plans are adapted regarding changes in the law, as well as changes in your family.
We’ve created a program to offer Estate Plans at really competitive rates and we provide the education for free. When you make a decision, you will also know what the legal fees are. Wouldn’t you like to start your year, having peace of mind that you have a plan in place?
Here to Help You
Take advantage of the many free resources on offer which you will find on our website, and also our YouTube Channel. You can also register HERE for our workshops which are held in Cranberry Township.
