The Planning Process

• Step One: Information Gathering
       Information about you, your family, assets, life insurance, and existing documents, such as wills and trusts, is summarized on our firm's Estate Planning Information Worksheet.
• Step Two: Designing the Plan
       One or more planning sessions occur between Mr. Hyde and the client. Other advisors, such as an accountant or financial advisor, are encouraged and welcome to attend these sessions. Many clients also bring children and other family members. After making his recommendations, Vernon will quote a "turn key" fee for design, drafting and implementation of the plans. Clients then may choose to engage our firm by signing an engagement letter, or they may choose to take some time to reflect before moving ahead.
• Step Three: Creating Plan Documents
       Our office prepares all documents needed to implement an estate plan. This usually takes about 2 weeks.
• Step Four: Review and Signing Plan Documents
       In a follow-up meeting all documents are reviewed in detail with the client, corrected or changed to the client's satisfaction, and signed. The trust funding process is explained in this meeting. Payment is due when the plan documents are signed. 
• Step Five: Funding
       Funding (the transfer of assets to a trust) is critical if a trust is to accomplish its purposes of probate and guardianship avoidance and estate tax reduction. Our goal is to complete funding within one month after plan documents are signed.
• Step Six: Follow Up
       We have an extensive follow-up system, which we believe helps build stronger client relationships. Each of our clients will receive a follow-up letter after their plan is complete, a customer satisfaction survey, and a continued subscription to Pocket Watch®, our estate planning newsletter. Through the newsletter we attempt to keep our clients informed of changes that could affect their planning, and to help them maintain an awareness of their estate planning goals. In this manner we hope to ensure that our clients' plans are never out-of-date with their currents needs. Every three years they will receive a personal letter encouraging them to come in to review their plans and make any necessary changes.