Protect your family. Preserve your legacy. Create a plan that ensures your wishes are honored and your loved ones are provided for, without the complexity of traditional law firms.
What Is Estate Planning
Estate planning is the process of arranging for the management and distribution of your assets during your lifetime and after your death. But it's much more than a will or a trust, it's a comprehensive framework that protects your family, preserves your wealth, and ensures your wishes are carried out.
A complete estate plan addresses what happens if you become incapacitated, who makes decisions on your behalf, how your assets pass to the next generation, and how to minimize the tax and legal burden on your loved ones.
Everyone needs an estate plan. If you have children, you need to designate guardians. If you own property, you need to specify how it transfers. If you want to avoid putting your family through probate, you need the right documents. And if you become incapacitated without proper planning, your family may face expensive court proceedings just to help you.
Why It Matters
Ensure your loved ones are provided for according to your wishes, not left to navigate courts and legal complexity during an already difficult time.
Probate is public, slow, and expensive. Proper planning keeps your affairs private and ensures faster distribution to your beneficiaries.
Estate planning isn't just about death, it's about having the right people empowered to help if you become unable to manage your own affairs.
Clear documentation of your wishes reduces the potential for disputes among family members and ensures your intentions are carried out.
Strategic planning can minimize estate taxes, gift taxes, and income taxes for your beneficiaries, preserving more of your wealth for future generations.
You decide who gets what, when they get it, and under what conditions, rather than leaving those decisions to state law or a judge.
Services
From simple wills to complex trust structures, the full range is provided of estate planning services. Each plan is customized based on your family dynamics, asset composition, and long-term goals.
A will is the foundation of any estate plan. It specifies who receives your assets, names guardians for minor children, and designates an executor to carry out your wishes. Attorneys prepare both simple wills for straightforward situations and complex wills that address blended families, business interests, or tax planning considerations.
A revocable living trust allows you to manage your assets during your lifetime and transfer them seamlessly to beneficiaries without probate. You maintain complete control as trustee, and the trust can be modified or revoked at any time. This is ideal for maintaining privacy, avoiding probate delays, and planning for potential incapacity.
Irrevocable trusts provide enhanced asset protection and tax planning benefits. Once established, assets in an irrevocable trust are generally protected from creditors and may reduce estate tax exposure. Attorneys design these trusts for wealth preservation and multigenerational wealth transfer.
A financial power of attorney designates someone you trust to manage your financial affairs if you become incapacitated. This includes paying bills, managing investments, handling real estate, and making financial decisions on your behalf. Without this document, your family may need court intervention to access your accounts.
A healthcare power of attorney appoints someone to make medical decisions for you when you cannot communicate your own wishes. This person becomes your advocate with doctors, hospitals, and care facilities, ensuring your treatment preferences are respected.
Also known as a living will, this document specifies your wishes regarding end-of-life care, life-sustaining treatment, and comfort measures. It provides clarity for your family and medical team during difficult moments, removing the burden of guessing what you would have wanted.
Life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and investment accounts pass directly to named beneficiaries, regardless of what your will says. Attorneys review all your beneficiary designations to ensure they align with your overall estate plan and avoid unintended consequences.
Proactive asset protection structures your wealth to minimize exposure to potential creditors, lawsuits, or other claims. This is particularly important for business owners, professionals in high-liability fields, and anyone with significant assets to protect.
A special needs trust allows you to provide for a loved one with disabilities without jeopardizing their eligibility for government benefits like SSI. The trust supplements, rather than replaces, public assistance, funding quality of life improvements.
For many families, pets are beloved members. A pet trust ensures your animals receive proper care if something happens to you, designating a caretaker and setting aside funds for their ongoing needs.
Federal privacy laws prevent medical providers from sharing your health information, even with family members, without proper authorization. Attorneys prepare HIPAA releases that allow designated individuals to access your medical records and communicate with healthcare providers.
Virtual-First Model
Traditional law firms require multiple office visits, inconvenient schedules, and stacks of paperwork. We've built a different experience, one where you can complete your entire estate plan from the comfort of your home, on your schedule.
Video consultations replace office visits. Meet with your attorney face-to-face via secure video conference, no commuting, no waiting rooms, no taking time off work.
Remote notarization means you can execute documents from home. Virginia, Colorado, and Washington all permit remote online notarization, so you can complete your estate plan without ever visiting an office.
Prefer in-person? Client centers are also maintained for those who prefer face-to-face meetings. The virtual-first model gives you options, not limitations.
MyRelevant Client Portal
Your estate planning documents are always available, securely stored and organized in your personal portal.
Communicate directly with your attorney through encrypted messaging, no more phone tag or unsecured email.
Book consultations and signing sessions at times that work for you, with automatic reminders.
Meet with your attorney via video conference from anywhere, home, office, or while traveling.
Receive timely notifications when it's time to review your documents or when life changes warrant updates.
Enterprise-grade encryption protects your sensitive information and documents at all times.
The Process
Estate planning doesn't have to be overwhelming. The structured process guides you through each step, with clear expectations and ongoing support.
The process starts with a comprehensive conversation about your family, assets, goals, and concerns. This can happen via video conference from anywhere or in person at one of the client centers. There's no pressure, just a genuine exploration of what matters most to you.
45-60 minutes
Using the secure MyRelevant portal, you'll provide details about your assets, beneficiaries, and existing documents. The questionnaires guide you through the process, and you can complete them at your own pace from any device.
1-2 weeks
Your attorney designs a customized estate plan based on your specific situation. Your attorney prepares a detailed summary explaining each document's purpose and how they work together to achieve your goals.
3-5 business days
A follow-up meeting reviews your draft documents together. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions, request changes, and ensure everything reflects your wishes accurately.
30-45 minutes
Once finalized, a signing session is scheduled, virtual with remote notarization or in person. For clients with trusts, your attorney provides detailed funding instructions to transfer assets into the trust.
30 minutes + ongoing
Your executed documents are securely stored in your MyRelevant portal, accessible 24/7. You'll receive both digital copies and physical originals, plus guidance on who should have access to what.
Ongoing
Common Questions
Estate planning isn't just for the wealthy. If you have children, you need to designate guardians. If you want to avoid putting your family through probate, you need proper documents. If you become incapacitated without powers of attorney, your family may need expensive court proceedings to help you. Everyone over 18 should have at minimum a will, healthcare directive, and powers of attorney.
A will goes through probate, a court-supervised process that can take months and is public record. A trust bypasses probate entirely, keeping your affairs private and allowing faster distribution to beneficiaries. Trusts also provide incapacity planning; if you become unable to manage your affairs, your successor trustee steps in immediately without court involvement. Attorneys help clients determine which approach makes sense for their situation.
We recommend reviewing your plan every 3–5 years or whenever you experience a major life change: marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a beneficiary, significant change in assets, moving to a new state, or changes in tax law. MyRelevant clients receive periodic reminders to review their documents.
Yes. The virtual-first model means you can complete your entire estate plan without ever visiting an office. Consultations happen via video conference, document preparation is done through the secure portal, and execution can be handled through remote online notarization. That said, client centers are also available if you prefer face-to-face meetings.
Without powers of attorney, your family must petition the court for guardianship or conservatorship, an expensive, time-consuming, and public process. The court appoints someone to manage your affairs (not necessarily who you would have chosen), and ongoing court oversight adds complexity and cost. Proper planning avoids this entirely.
Blended families require careful planning to balance obligations to your current spouse with providing for children from prior relationships. Attorneys use a combination of trusts, specific bequests, and carefully drafted provisions to ensure all family members are treated fairly according to your wishes.
Modern estate plans must address digital assets. Attorneys include provisions for accessing and managing cryptocurrency, online accounts, digital photos, and other electronic assets. Attorneys also help create a secure inventory of your digital life so your executor or trustee can locate and access these assets.
Estate planning fees depend on complexity. A straightforward will package for an individual starts around $800-1,200. Comprehensive trust-based planning for a married couple typically ranges from $2,500-5,000. Complex situations involving business interests, multiple properties, or sophisticated tax planning are quoted individually. Transparent, flat-fee pricing is provided before you commit.
Attorneys currently serve clients in Virginia, Colorado, and Washington. The virtual model means you can work with attorneys from anywhere in these states. For clients with property or interests in other states, attorneys coordinate with local counsel as needed.
Every estate planning client receives ongoing access to MyRelevant, where you can access your documents 24/7, securely message your attorney, schedule appointments, track document status, and receive update reminders. It's like having your attorney in your pocket.
Related Services
When a loved one passes, attorneys guide executors and trustees through probate and trust administration, handling court filings, asset distribution, and tax obligations with care and efficiency.
Learn moreStrategic giving that maximizes impact while providing tax benefits. Charitable trusts, donor-advised funds, and legacy philanthropy.
Learn moreCoordinated Planning
Estate planning is most effective when it integrates with your complete financial picture. Your attorney coordinates with your wealth managers, financial planners, CPAs, and insurance professionals to ensure your estate plan aligns with your broader financial strategies.
Whether you work with a major wirehouse, independent advisor, or family office, the attorneys understand how to align legal structures with wealth management strategies. Your advisory team stays informed and involved.
For Wealth AdvisorsCoordination With
Wealth Management Teams
Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Charles Schwab, Raymond James, Fidelity, and independent RIAs
Financial Planners
CFPs and fee-only advisors focused on comprehensive planning
CPAs & Tax Advisors
Coordinating estate plans with tax strategies and business succession
Insurance Professionals
Aligning life insurance, long-term care, and estate liquidity needs
Schedule a consultation to discuss your estate planning goals. No pressure, no obligation, just a genuine conversation about your family's future.