ESTATE PLANNING FEE SCHEDULE
Introduction:
To maintain a logical, consistent, and fair pricing system, all new estate planning matters are handled on a fixed‑fee basis. This means you will know the cost of your plan before any drafting work begins.
A premium experience, by design:
I take on a limited number of clients so I can offer a level of attention and clarity that is uncommon in estate planning. Every plan is crafted personally, with careful thought given to your family dynamics, your long‑term goals, and the practical realities of how your plan will function when it matters most. This is not a volume‑based law practice. I provide a quiet, deliberate, and fine-tuned process designed to give you confidence, simplicity, and lasting peace of mind. My fee schedule reflects the time, judgment, and professional care required to do this work at a premium level.
Read my personal note about fees:
Personal note
Essentials (choose 1):
1- Contract-based Estate Plan, including Powers of Attorney & "Back-up" Will
2- Traditional Will, including Powers of Attorney
3- Revocable Living Trust, including All Supporting Documents
4- Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, including All Supporting Documents
Premium add-ons (optional):
A- Inheritance Provisions for Surviving Spouse (if applicable, choose 1)
B- Inheritance Provisions for Non-Spouse Beneficiaries
C- Irrevocable Home Equity Protection Trust (HEPT)
D- Pet Trust
E- NFA Gun Trust
1- Contract-based Estate Plan, including Powers of Attorney & "Back-up" Will
- $2,000 for individual or $2,600 for married couple
- Relies solely on beneficiary designations for asset transfer.
2- Traditional Will, including Powers of Attorney
- $2,200 for individual or $2,800 for married couple
- Relies on a traditional will to transfer probate assets.
3- Revocable Living Trust, including All Supporting Documents
- $3,800 for individual or $4,400 for married couple
- Relies on a fully funded revocable trust to avoid probate.
4- Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, including All Supporting Documents
- $5,800 for individual or $6,400 for married couple
- Uses an irrevocable trust to protect assets for Medicaid planning.
Premium add-ons (optional):
A- Inheritance Provisions for Surviving Spouse (if applicable, choose 1)
- Outright to spouse; no estate tax mitigation. $0 (included)
- Outright to spouse, and Add Portability election for estate tax mitigation. $400
- Integrate restricted trust for spouse to protect separate property; no estate tax mitigation. $800
- Integrate restricted trust for spouse to protect separate property, and Add Clayton election formula for estate tax mitigation. $1,200
B- Inheritance Provisions for Non-Spouse Beneficiaries
- Outright to named beneficiaries (unless under age 21 or incapacitated); Assumes no concern for restriction or protection of inheritance. $0 (included)
- Integrate inheritance protection planning for one or more beneficiaries. This option will protect inheritance from future threats (lawsuits, divorce, debt collections); and/or restrict inheritance in response to an identifiable clear and present danger (spendthrift habits, special needs, susceptibility to undue influence, need to maintain beneficiary’s qualification for government-sponsored health benefits or supplemental income benefits); suggested when value of non-retirement assets exceeds $100,000 per beneficiary; recommended if exceeds $250,000 per beneficiary. $1,600
- Integrate “SECURE Act compliant” trust provisions to delay, restrict, or protect inherited retirement accounts; suggested when value of retirement accounts exceeds $100,000 per beneficiary; recommended if exceeds $250,000 per beneficiary. $400
- Integrate a common trust for young children until the youngest child attains a specified age, then allocated into separate shares for then-living children. $200
C- Irrevocable Home Equity Protection Trust (HEPT)
- An irrevocable Home Equity Protection Trust is designed to shield your home equity from future and unknown creditors. If your primary residence is high in value, and you have accumulated substantial home equity, then your home may become a prime target when someone accuses you of wrongdoing (whether legitimate or fraudulent). Arizona law protects up to $425,200 of home equity in a primary residence automatically (the “homestead exemption”), but homeowners with more home equity than provided by the homestead exemption should consider retitling their primary residence into a HEPT. The irrevocable trust works to protect your home equity because you no longer own the home but instead retain an exclusive right to occupy the home without restriction. A HEPT can provide you with additional peace of mind because you will know that no one can force you to move out of your home. $3,000
D- Pet Trust
- A Pet Trust ensures that your animals are cared for according to your instructions if you become incapacitated or pass away. This planning option designates a caregiver, provides funds for your pets’ ongoing needs, and appoints a trustee to manage those funds responsibly. It offers peace of mind by creating a legally enforceable plan for veterinary care, daily routines, food and grooming standards, and end‑of‑life decisions for your pets. $500
E- NFA Gun Trust
- This trust provides a compliant legal structure for holding NFA‑regulated firearms such as suppressors, short‑barreled rifles/shotguns, and other items requiring ATF approval. It clearly identifies who may lawfully possess the items, outlines successor management, and simplifies future transfers. The trust is drafted to meet current ATF requirements for responsible persons, Form 4/Form 23 submissions, and CLEO notifications. Clients receive a complete, ready‑to‑use trust document tailored to their ownership goals, along with guidance on proper use and administration. $500
Note: the HEPT, Pet Trust, and NFA Gun Trust are only offered as premium add-ons to a full estate plan and are not available as a la carte products.
How to Calculate the Total Fee:
My fee quote will combine one of the essential base fee amounts plus any premium options you choose. For example, a common fee amount for a married couple is $6,400 ($4,400 revocable living trust essentials + $1,600 inheritance protection + $400 SECURE Act compliance). But a traditional will-based estate plan with outright distribution is $2,800.
Why We Offer Fixed Fees:
I use fixed fee arrangements whenever possible because hourly billing doesn’t put the focus on what you really want—a “solution” to your problem, or a “vehicle” to help you realize a goal or objective. Whenever possible the price should reflect the value of the work, not the amount of time employed to finish it. However, occasionally there is a situation when an hourly billing rate makes better sense and for those situations my rate is currently $450/hour.
If You Already Have an Estate Plan:
If you already have a well‑drafted estate plan prepared by an experienced estate planning lawyer within the past several years, I will review your documents, update them for Arizona law, and ensure everything is aligned with your current wishes. In these situations, I may apply a courtesy reduction to my standard fee schedule—$1,000 for trust‑based plans and $500 for other plans—as a way of honoring the investment you have already made in a solid foundation.
Fee schedule updates:
The next planned adjustment to the fee schedule is January 1, 2027.
Payment methods:
Although payment by check or cash is always preferred, we also accept debit cards and credit cards (including American Express). Payment plans are available through a program called Pay Later sponsored by Affirm.
Sample forms:
Fee Agreement
Engagement Letter
My fee quote will combine one of the essential base fee amounts plus any premium options you choose. For example, a common fee amount for a married couple is $6,400 ($4,400 revocable living trust essentials + $1,600 inheritance protection + $400 SECURE Act compliance). But a traditional will-based estate plan with outright distribution is $2,800.
Why We Offer Fixed Fees:
I use fixed fee arrangements whenever possible because hourly billing doesn’t put the focus on what you really want—a “solution” to your problem, or a “vehicle” to help you realize a goal or objective. Whenever possible the price should reflect the value of the work, not the amount of time employed to finish it. However, occasionally there is a situation when an hourly billing rate makes better sense and for those situations my rate is currently $450/hour.
If You Already Have an Estate Plan:
If you already have a well‑drafted estate plan prepared by an experienced estate planning lawyer within the past several years, I will review your documents, update them for Arizona law, and ensure everything is aligned with your current wishes. In these situations, I may apply a courtesy reduction to my standard fee schedule—$1,000 for trust‑based plans and $500 for other plans—as a way of honoring the investment you have already made in a solid foundation.
Fee schedule updates:
The next planned adjustment to the fee schedule is January 1, 2027.
Payment methods:
Although payment by check or cash is always preferred, we also accept debit cards and credit cards (including American Express). Payment plans are available through a program called Pay Later sponsored by Affirm.
Sample forms:
Fee Agreement
Engagement Letter