1.  We never bill by the hour.  Unlike many lawyers who bill in sis minute increments for every phone call and email, we bill an entire estate planning project on a fair flat fee basis. This means you know exactly how much it will cost before you hire us. This also means you can communicate with us as often as you need without worrying about running up the bill. We've often wondered, "How can a lawyer do a good job if the client is afraid to call because it will cost too much?" Our clients don't have that fear - they never receive a surprise bill in the mail.

2.  We understand money and investing.  It's a sad fact that many attorneys don't understand their clients' investment portfolios. This makes it difficult - if not impossible - for the attorney to give good advice or plan around the nuances of the investment portfolio. IRAs take different types of strategies; you can't plan to inherit an annuity the same way as you would inherit a life insurance contract or piece of investment property. Our clients enjoy comprehensive estate planning from both legal and financial viewpoints, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.

3.  Our clients want to make sure their children would never enter foster care.  If the unthinkable happens to you and your spouse, the police who go to your home aren't going to read and interpret your will.  They will call DCFS who will make a determination about where your children will go until permanent guardians are identified and located.  Our clients have a "First Response" packet that gives legal authority to immediate temporary guardians so your children would never go to a stranger's house in the middle of an already tragic situation.

4.  Our clients have large IRA or 401(k) accounts and want to avoid the potential 'triple taxation' that often accompanies these accounts when they are inherited.  Planning with retirement account assets can be complicated.  We understand the tax rules and help you and your heirs apply them so your savings are protected for your life and decades beyond it.

5.  Our clients want to avoid family infighting and the potential for hard feelings.  Our clients' wishes are clear and enforceable, which heads off misunderstandings and hard feelings before they occur.

6.  Many of our clients have step-children and want to make sure their estate distribution is clear and fair.  Blended family situations pose unique challenges.  Our thoughtful, supportive approach gives you ideas and help in dealing with this often delicate matter.

7.  Our clients want to encourage their families to make wise choices with their inheritances.    Sometimes families struggle with challenges that make good money management difficult, such as youth, inexperience, poor money management skills, and sometimes addictions.  Our clients can incentivize their families to make the right decisions and/or provide for lasting dependable income without feeding bad habits.

8.  Many of our clients come to us with old and outdated documents that need to be updated.  Many of our clients come to us with old trusts written by lawyers they haven't heard from in years - sometimes decades.  Our service ensures regular, periodic updates often at no charge to the client.

9.  Our clients want to make sure their medical wishes are understood and respected. In this era of skyrocketing health care costs, our clients want to make sure their end of life wishes are known and enforceable.

10.  Many of our clients have special needs chidren or grandchildren. Children with special needs may become ineligible for government benefits if they are the beneficiaries of even a small inheritance. We help our clients legally set aside money to supplement government benefits so their special needs family members can live comfortably and with dignity.