How It Works

What happens: Our Intake Form asks about your family, what you own, and who you want in charge. We read it before your Design Meeting, so we come ready.

What you do: Answer every question you can. If you are not sure, put your best guess. We will go over it at your meeting.

How long: Finish it at least 24 hours before your Design Meeting.

What happens: We talk by phone and map out your plan together: what you own, who gets it and how, and who is in charge if you cannot make decisions for yourself or after you pass away.

What you do: Be by your phone at your meeting time. If you are married, plan for both of you to be on the call.

How long: About 60 minutes.

What happens: We email you your Blueprint. It is a written summary of your plan and how we will build it, based on your Intake Form and your Design Meeting. We do not start your legal documents until you approve it. That way, you know your plan is right before we build it.

What you do:

• Read it closely. Check every name, every person's job, and every gift.
• Tell us anything you want to change. We update it until it is exactly how you want it.
• When it is right, approve it with the link in our email.

How long: Your Blueprint arrives within 2 business days after your Design Meeting.

What happens: Our attorney writes all of your estate planning documents from your approved Blueprint. We also make your Trust Summary. It explains your documents in plain words: what you own, who is in charge, and how your property will be managed and handed out.

What you do: Nothing. We email you when your documents are ready.

How long: Within 30 days after you approve your Blueprint.

What happens: We email you your draft documents and your Trust Summary. You can also book an optional 30-minute review call. On the call, we go over your plan and answer your questions.

What you do:

• Read your Trust Summary first. It is easier to read than the legal documents.
• To book a review call, use the link in our email.
• Tell us anything you want to change. We update your documents.
• When everything is right, tell us you approve. Then we make your documents final.

How long: This step depends on you. The sooner you reply, the sooner you can sign.

What happens: We email you your final documents and your Signing Instructions. Your Signing Instructions tell you what to sign, the order to sign in, and who needs to be there.

What you do:

• Print your documents. Do not sign, initial, or date anything before signing day.
• Set up your signing. You need a notary and 2 witnesses in the room with you. Your Signing Instructions explain who can and cannot be a witness.
• On signing day, follow your Signing Instructions one step at a time.

How long: Plan to sign within 30 days after you get your final documents.

This step is only for plans that move a house or land into your trust.

What happens: We file your signed deed with your county. This moves the property into your trust. The property is not in your trust until the deed is filed. We let you know when it is done.

What you do:

• Scan your signed deed and email it to us. Your Signing Instructions tell you where to send it. Keep the original deed with your other signed papers.
• Optional: If you want us to check that your other documents were signed the right way, scan and email them to us too.

How long: Email your deed as soon as you finish signing.

What happens: Each account must be set up to match your plan. Some accounts get changed into your trust's name. Others get a beneficiary form, which names who gets the account when you pass away. Your Funding Instructions come with your final documents. They tell you what to do with each account.

What you do:

• Follow your Funding Instructions for each bank account, investment account, life insurance policy, and retirement account.
• Never change a retirement account, like an IRA or 401(k), into your trust's name. It uses a beneficiary form instead.
• Optional: When you are done, send us how you set up each account. We will check that it matches your plan.

How long: Start soon after you sign.