Estate Planning Steps: Basic Estate Plan

Twain Harte Law's Basic Estate Plan is an affordable estate planning process that includes the following steps:

Step 1: Register and Attend the Estate Planning Foundations class.

The purpose of the Estate Planning Foundations class is to familiarize you with basic estate planning concepts and to demystify the estate planning process so that when we meet to discuss your individual situation and goals, you will have a comfortable familiarity with how the various components of an estate plan work. If you decide to plan with Twain Harte Law, 100% of your Foundations class tuition will be applied to your plan fee.

Step 2: Strategy Session.

We will meet in person in a private meeting room in Twain Harte to design your plan based on your situation and goals. This meeting includes legal advice. 50% is due at the end of this meeting.

Step 3: Submit Requested Information.

You will submit all requested information confidentially through our secure online portal for attorney review.

Step 4: Plan Drafting.

Your attorney will draft your plan based on your goals and your situation that we discussed at our strategy meeting and the information you submitted.

Step 5: Plan Review.

You will have an opportunity to review and approve your plan and verify that all names and details are correct.

Step 6: Signing Ceremony.

We will gather privately in a community meeting space with your witnesses and finalize the documents. Remaining balance is due here.

Step 7: Delivery.

You will pick up your original, signed documents and any deeds that Twain Harte Law has recorded for you. A PDF copy of your documents will also be available digitally on your secure online portal.

Step 8: Fund your Trust.

You will need to retitle your financial accounts and update your account beneficiaries to align with your completed estate plan. We will provide general instructions on how to do this, but this important step is yours to complete.

Note that Twain Harte Law's Basic Estate Plan is designed for ordinary individuals and married couples whose primary goal is to empower the people they choose to manage their assets effectively for the benefit of those they love while minimizing unnecessary confusion, expenses, and delays. The Basic Estate Plan does not prioritize estate tax planning (for estates approaching $15M individual/$30M married couple), planning for government benefits qualification (MediCal/Medicaid, special needs, veterans benefits), elder care, business succession planning, current asset protection, or other complex situations. If your situation is complex, Twain Harte Law may have other planning processes that fit your unique needs.

Estate Planning Steps