Estate planning expertise that is thoughtful, judgment-free, and honors diversity
We are committed to protecting you and your family during your lifetime and after your death, with regards to both financial matters and personal decisions.
Estate planning is the process of documenting your wishes regarding the management and disposition of your property interests upon your incapacity or death. This includes strategies to minimize potential estate and transfer taxes, planning for the disposition of your home, investments, business interests, life insurance and employee benefits and strategies regarding the management of your estate and health care in the event of your disability.
As estate planning attorneys, Lauren and Karly’s approach involves asking questions to understand the circumstances of your family and your lifetime and testamentary objectives, and providing options for achieving those objectives. When appropriate, they recommend and execute sophisticated techniques to reduce transfer and inheritance taxes.
As part of an estate planning package, you may receive:
A living trust
Wills
Certification of Trust
Financial power of attorney documents
Health care power of attorney documents
An assignment for a living trust
Burial or cremation instructions
A tangible personal property memorandum
Trust funding instructions
A deed and accompanying transfer documents for any residence or other real property for recording
We also plan for your pets.
Rates for estate plans begin at $4,500. For new clients with existing estate plans, we do not provide partial amendments to trusts but will prepare full amendments and restatements of trusts and other new documents.
“We had a wonderful experience working with Lauren. We weren’t sure what we even needed regarding estate planning, and she walked us through the entire process, answered questions and gave us recommendations. She is very knowledgeable and responsive, and continued to answer questions that have come up over the past several months since we set everything up. Estate planning isn’t much “fun” but she made it as easy and enjoyable as possible, even coming to our house for the initial meeting.”
— The Stern Family
Respecting all families and individuals.
Our estate planning is inclusive. Embracing and honoring the diversity of our clients is central to who we are and what we do.
Being able to apply the proper estate planning techniques and customize your plan based on your circumstances, values and beliefs is a function of experience and judgment that Lauren has developed over her approximately 15 year career and Karly over her 9 year career.
Exclusively focused on all aspects of estate planning and distribution, Lauren and Karly are adept at counseling clients through potentially challenging issues, such as difficult decisions regarding guardians and trustees, blended family situations, and planning for incapacity. As a result, they creates the best plan for your estate with the least amount of difficulty and expense upon death.
“I can’t say enough great things about Lauren! She helped my husband and I with our trust and living will and was absolutely fantastic. She was thoughtful and understanding, and held our hand every step of the way through the process.”
— The Fuente Family
Estate planning is important for everyone, especially for families with children.
A comprehensive estate plan includes designating a guardian for minor children in the event the appointment of a guardian is necessary. This may include specification regarding persons that you do not wish to act as guardian.
In addition, our estate planning documents include carefully drafted provisions regarding the manner in which property is to be distributed to children and more remote descendants.
These provisions reflect our discussions regarding a variety of options to segregate property for children or allow the distribution of property to children at staggered ages.
Let’s work together to put your affairs in order.
After a complimentary phone consultation and decision to work together, you will complete a brief questionnaire to provide us with information regarding your assets and liabilities.
We will then meet by video-conference or in person at our office in the San Francisco SOMA district. We will discuss your personal and tax planning objectives and the options available to achieve them.
Once we have decided on the structure and terms of your plan, you will have the opportunity to review the draft documents that we carefully prepare and tailor to your circumstances. Following your opportunity to further discuss any matters, we will meet again to have your documents properly executed and to discuss the process of updating title to your assets or your beneficiary designations in accordance with the terms of your plan.
