Estate Planning

You choose whether we start with an initial in-person meeting, phone, or video conference. We have clients all over the state of Texas and Florida and consult on matters throughout the United States and internationally. During your consultation, you will speak with one of our attorneys. Through your conversation, we will learn as much as we can about you and your needs for estate planning.

We'll discuss our general process, how we work with clients, and what your particular needs are. Our mission is to be your trusted advisor, so you'll have an in-depth conversation with us about you, your loved ones, and your goals, hopes, and concerns. We will get a grasp on your net worth, assets, and family dynamics. This meeting is a perfect time for all parties to determine if we are a good fit.

During your consultation, we will explain what occurs under various situations for your estate and provide options for different levels of estate planning. We want you to understand your options and what they mean as well as how your fee changes with the possibilities. You might want a formal plan, opt for a very basic plan, or you might decide you want a higher level of protection. Protection is especially important if you have minor children or a blended family. You will have the information you need to make that decision and to understand the related fees.

The consultation is one hour, and we will advise what plan would best meet your goals. We will answer any of your questions you have at this time.

After our meeting, you will compile any information requested and return it by an agreed-upon date. We prefer that you complete our estate planning questionnaire before this initial consultation. All information is personal and confidential.

We will discuss various options regarding the distribution of your assets, who will make decisions for your estate after you pass or become incapacitated, advocate for your medical needs, care for your children, etc. We provide various choices and make recommendations for your particular situation, taking into consideration all legal issues.

At the end of the meeting, we will have a clear blueprint that we will use to draft your documents and send you any homework for decisions to be made or documents to gather for review.

Our office will send you the necessary engagement letters and fee agreements for electronic signature. Then, we will dive into the details of your specific needs, discuss various options with you, and start drafting your documents according to your particular plan. Our office will be in contact with you as we work on your plan. You will receive your draft documents for review.

Once you review the documents, we can make changes to your estate plan to ensure they meet your needs and wishes. If you have questions, we will have a phone or online meeting to review your documents, answer all of your questions, and make any necessary changes to the documents. You will then book a time to sign your estate planning documents. Typically you will sign your documents at the office of Loveland & Hurley, PLLC.

When you come in to sign your plan, your attorney will review it with you to highlight critical provisions, ensure that they meet your goals, and understand your estate plan. With the proper witnesses and notary, you will then formally sign your new estate plan. Your plan will be scanned, so you have secure electronic copies. Our firm will prepare your originals in an estate planning packet and let you know when everything is ready for pickup.

At your signing meeting, we will also discuss how to align your assets with your estate plan and provide you with detailed instructions for handling each of your assets, including account titling and beneficiary designations. We are also available to assist as you go through the asset alignment process. If you own real estate that requires retitling, we will ensure that your deeds are correctly recorded. Once the deeds are recorded, we will provide you with the originals. As part of the process, we will coordinate with your financial advisors and CPA to ensure that all of your assets, properties, and businesses are effectively aligned and appropriately titled to work with our designed plan.

As with most things in life, the law also changes. And, as to be expected, families and assets change, too. It is imperative that you keep your documents up to date. We are always here to help make these updates and guide you through the constant changes in life and the law.

We want to be your trusted advisor and are here to serve you. We are open and honest with our process and do for our clients what we would do for our own family. You will have peace of mind knowing that a Board Certified Estate Planning attorney did your estate plan with knowledge and compassion.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time with questions or concerns related to your estate plan we put into place. Please contact us when a significant life event happens or if you decide you wish to make changes to your estate planning documents. At a minimum, we suggest visiting with us every three years to review your plan to ensure it aligns with your wishes and is up to date.

Because the law changes, and inevitably families and assets change, it is necessary to ensure your estate plan is kept up to date. All too often, an estate plan that is entirely appropriate at the time it was drafted becomes woefully out of date by the time it is put into place, resulting in a method that doesn’t work when it needs to.

We believe that a relationship designed to ensure your plan is updated as your family changes, the law changes, and your assets change is the process necessary to give you the peace of mind that your plan will work when it’s needed. You will need estate planning documents, but to make sure your family is taken care of when it matters, you need to make sure the plan is kept up to date.