Pleasanton Estate Planning Lawyer
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Fact: People Want to Prepare Their Wills and Trusts Online
The verdict is in. Consumer demand for creating a California living trust online has exploded.
It makes sense. We research online, shop online, and we heavily connect online through social media.
Therefore, if given the option to address the important task of completing our estate planning online
exists, people are going to jump on it.
But, there is one big problem…
Most Options Out There for Creating Wills and Trusts Online Are Risky
Do-it-yourself (DIY) providers charge low rates for documents that ordinarily would cost much more if produced by an attorney. These websites have raised questions about whether they are engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (LegalZoom alone has already been sued in at least three states for the same).
Don’t Believe Everything You Read
Their marketing is deceiving. For instance, they advertise $69 to prepare a will, when in reality the cost of preparing an estate plan for a married couple increases to several hundred dollars once one includes all the documents both spouses need for a very basic estate plan (including a will or trust, power of attorney, and healthcare documents). The total cost then becomes approximately $300.00 for a married couple.
But DO Believe the Fine Print
What’s worse, there is no guarantee any of these documents will work when the time comes. Take a look at this direct quote from LegalZoom’s terms of use:
“At no time do we review your answers for legal sufficiency, draw legal conclusions, provide legal advice, opinions or recommendations about your legal rights, remedies, defenses, options, selection of forms, or strategies, or apply the law to the facts of your particular situation. LegalZoom is not a law firm and may not perform services performed by an attorney. LegalZoom, its Services, and its forms or templates are not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney.”
The deficiencies in these offerings are so severe, that the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law designated a special Task Force to evaluate the use of DIY methods in estate planning. It has concluded:
“The greatest danger of preparing one’s estate plan with LegalZoom or other DIY legal providers is that they lull clients into a false sense of security.”
And...
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“The average person should proceed with caution in using DIY estate planning as a substitute for a proper, professionally-drafted plan.”
Fortunately, There IS a Better Way
I’ve tried all of the DIY options out there, as well as the very short list of companies that license online estate planning interview software for attorneys to feature on their websites. In my experience, they are either too simplistic, or too complicated, to be of much value.
Therefore, over the process of nearly 7 months, I prepared my own online interview. It is unlike any other available, and can be completed on any device.
This interview includes the same types of questions and explanations that an estate planning attorney would ask you if you were sitting in their office. Much effort has been invested on our part to use plain English to explain the concepts and options presented along the way, and to keep things as simple as possible while still providing a high degree of sophistication.
Your progress can be saved and completed in more than one sitting, if necessary.
You Receive Comprehensive Legal Advice and Guidance (No Fine Print Required)
After you submit your completed interview, you will receive all of the advice you need from a certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law by the State Bar of California who has prepared over a thousand living trusts.
California Living Trust Attorney Will Prepare Your Will and Trust Online
Once your initial consulting is complete, I will personally prepare your California living trust online with the same complete and comprehensive documents you would receive if you had come to our office and designed your trust and estate plan through traditional means.
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You will also receive all of the support you need to fully integrate your assets with your trust and estate plan. This typically involves submitting deeds for real estate to the local recorder’s office with the needed forms, and obtaining forms to complete and sign with your bank, investment advisor, and life insurance company.
We're Committed to Value
Your loved ones deserve more than the expect the deceivingly cheap, DIY pricing you see advertised. The cost of mistakes or oversights will often not be revealed until it is too late to fix the problem. Furthermore, it costs FAR more in dollars AND stress to fix those problems following a death than any upfront savings could possibly justify.
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The value of working with a specialist in this field is real and substantial. Rather than taking chances with shortcuts, experience the peace of mind that comes with knowing you did it right.
Get Started Today
The journey begins with the first step. I invite you to take yours today.
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