Creating a trust is often one of the most important steps in an ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) estate plan. Trusts can provide powerful benefits, including wealth transfer, asset protection, tax planning, privacy, and long-term family governance. But creating a trust document is only part of the process. There’s an essential “step two” required to ensure the trust […]
What Does It Mean to Fund a Trust? Read More »
For many high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families, trusts are an essential part of a broader estate planning strategy. They can help preserve wealth, manage assets across generations, provide protections for beneficiaries, and support long-term family goals. There are several types of trust accounts, and each becomes active in different ways, depending not only on the
When Does a Trust Become “Active”? Read More »
Many people think of estate planning as a one-time project. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Life changes. Families grow. Assets increase or decrease in value. Tax laws evolve. As a result, an estate plan that was golden five years ago may no longer align with your priorities today. To ensure that your legacy is properly preserved
How Often Should Estate Planning Documents Be Updated? Read More »
Estate planning is rarely a one-time event. Families grow. Assets change. Businesses are acquired or sold. Tax laws evolve. As a result, many clients eventually need to revise their estate planning documents after they have been signed. When they do, the question of cost enters the picture. Will those revisions require additional legal fees, or
Are Revisions to Estate Planning Documents an Additional Cost? Read More »
Many people purchase legal insurance expecting it to cover any future legal needs, including estate planning. While it can provide value in some situations, it also has its limitations. These limitations become especially clear for high-net-worth (HNW) and ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families. Understanding these limitations can help families make more informed decisions about both their estate
Why Legal Insurance Often Falls Short for Complex Estate Planning Read More »
Estate planning is an investment. It’s an investment in your future and your future’s future. Protecting the wealth that you’ve worked so hard to build requires professional counsel that only qualified attorneys can provide. And when you engage an attorney, legal fees can quickly start to add up, especially in highly complex cases. As you
Can Legal Insurance Cover Estate Planning for High-Net-Worth Clients? Read More »
Each law firm has its own policy regarding consultation fees and whether those fees are applied to the total cost of representation. Much of this depends on the complexity of the matter and how the attorney defines the scope and purpose of the initial consultation. Understanding how consultation fees work can help you compare firms
Is the Estate Planning Consultation Fee Applied to the Total Cost? Read More »
In short, yes, a more complex and more detailed estate plan is going to cost more, but perhaps not for the reasons many people may expect. While the number of estate planning documents produced for two different clients may be similar, the complexity, customization, and coordination that go into them may differ significantly. That’s why
Does a More Detailed Estate Plan Cost More? Read More »
Estate planning for ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients is a highly customized process. While the goal is to protect wealth and preserve your legacy for future generations, the road to getting there can vary significantly depending on asset complexity, individual goals, and coordination needs, among other variables. To that end, estate planning costs for UHNW families can
Flat Fee vs Hourly: How Estate Planning Attorneys Price Complex Matters Read More »
Estate planning for ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families differs from traditional estate planning in several ways, in part because of the family’s asset complexity as well as other variables. Unlike basic estate plans that may focus primarily on a will, powers of attorney, and health care directives, UHNW estate planning often involves sophisticated tax planning, complex trust
How Much Does Estate Planning Cost for UHNW Families? Read More »
