Our Clients
Who are our Clients?
Often, our clients find us through a recommendation from a trusted advisor, family member or friend, an online search after reading reviews from our other clients, or even a referral from another lawyer. Regardless of how they find us, we have learned that our clients have the following defining characteristics:
They value a thorough and detailed approach
They desire a long-term relationship with a law firm and legal team they can trust
They seek advice from educated professionals
They want guidance through the process
They desire peace of mind
Client Profiles
Estate planning is important for everyone, and it’s about more than “who gets your money.” We plan for the purpose of avoiding probate, as well as to ensure a smooth transfer of assets to your intended heirs and to minimize taxes. But we also plan for incapacity, for the care of elderly family members and for pets, for the care of minor or incapacitated beneficiaries, and to minimize the impact of our death or disability on our loved ones. Estate planning is as much about taking inventory of what you have, and who relies on you for financial or emotional support, than anything else. A good estate plan provides a thorough roadmap for navigating your life, your incapacity, and your death. Our clients know that the road has to be traveled at some point, and they care about providing a detailed roadmap.
We are also business law attorneys and planners, integrating clients’ business needs with their overall estate plan - because when you have a business, a rental property, or a professional practice - incorporating those aspects of your life is a vital part of your estate planning.
Common Planning Situations
While every client is truly unique, the following are some general types of situations for which we commonly plan:
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Families with minor children have such an important reason to plan. And while it is not as likely that a parent with young children will pass away or become incapacitated, it definitely happens. More than anything, the peace of mind that it brings to a parent to know that there is a really detailed plan, both for finance as well as the physical care of their child, is absolutely priceless. The unknown is often scarier than the known, and we give our clients confidence that they know how their children would be cared for (both financially and physically) if something were to happen. While many parents may fear bringing up this topic, and may not be sure how to plan for it, that is what we are here for.
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As anyone with no children can attest, planning can be a bit tricky when you don’t have children. You may not have anyone you feel “naturally” inclined or obligated to care for (or who will care for you), and there are sometimes no obvious choices for decision makers or beneficiaries. This situation it is actually more common than most people realize, and we love to be part of crafting a specialized solution that eases your discomfort about planning.
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Families come in so many shapes, sizes, and complexities. Sometimes there is an estranged family member, or a family member or relationship going through a strained period. Other times, the family doesn’t meet traditional definition of family or there are some legal nuances associated with same-sex marriages or relationships, registered domestic partnerships, divorce or divorcing clients or family members, adopted or step-child relationships, and any number of other unique family dynamics. One of our guiding principles is to seek to understand, and to do so without judgment. Once we understand, we can work with you to develop a plan that makes each individual or couple feel supported, understood and comfortable with their customized plan.
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Retirement or preparing for retirement often causes individuals or couples to revisit their estate plan (or finally get to it!). Since estate planning includes to many aspects of your overall financial plan, this is a perfect time to work with your advisors and ensure your financial and legal affairs are all lined up. Then enjoy that well-deserved retirement!
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Business owners are some of our busiest and most rewarding planning opportunities. There are just so many loose ends that a business owner needs to have tied up to ensure that their loved ones are left with a solid roadmap if something happens to them. Business owners have to think about the succession of their business (or winding it up), who will keep running it and who will take care of their employees, and how to maintain the value of the business if something happens to them. The last thing a business owner should have is a period of time following their death or disability where no one is at the helm. Business owners also have a tremendous opportunity to impact their family, employees, and loved ones with careful planning. Not only can we put a plan in place for the future, but with our Business Strategy Sessions, we can identify opportunities for growth, liability protection, and better business practices that gives business owners peace of mind right away.
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Professionals include individuals or couples with an advanced professional or doctorate degree. Whether they have their own professional practice or they work for an employer, professionals often have some unique planning concerns. In addition to owning their own business, professionals often have a heightened concern with potential liability related to their professional career. We often address asset protection strategies with our professional clients. They may also have more complex assets, and generally have a voracious appetite for information. Our education-forward approach to estate planning, our business expertise, and our ability to navigate asset protection makes for a particularly compatible attorney client relationship with these clients.
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Special needs planning is a niche area of the law that we navigate with expertise and compassion. Families planning for special needs individuals are often extremely concerned about maintaining benefits, and also ensuring the financial and caregiving protection of their loved ones, after they are no longer able to manage those critical components directly. For our clients facing these planning challenges, we can guide them through the process of creating a special needs trust, identifying the best assets to fund that trust, and to develop other important planning tools such as caregiver instructions and investment support. There is no such thing as “too soon” to plan when someone in your life may require care and financial support for the rest of theirs.
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Very few other estate planners can offer the depth of understanding in real estate investment, management, and succession planning as we do. From title issues, shared ownership, ADUs and interfamily agreements, to larger real estate portfolios, we can strategize, create, and document a plan designed to leverage the powerful wealth of real estate assets. We also expertly assist trustees and beneficiaries navigate tricky real estate issues after an owner’s death, including title issues, and the sales and division or divestments of complex real estate assets. While we don’t handle any litigation, construction or landlord-tenant issues, every other real estate matter related to your estate or succession plan is likely within our expertise.
Case Study: Robert and Elizabeth
Like many of our clients, Robert and Elizabeth (who goes by Beth), came to us after moving to the Sierra Nevada Foothills from the Bay Area. Robert had just retired from a career in tech, and was still doing some consulting for his former employer. Beth was a retired teacher who was hoping that grandchildren were soon on the horizon, and in the meantime enjoyed volunteering and taking pilates classes. Robert and Beth each had two adult children from prior relationships, and had been married for about 15 years. Beth’s parents had passed away a few years ago, leaving her a rental property, a large brokerage account, and an inherited IRA. They both had wills and outdated powers of attorney, but had not yet established a trust or completed any other estate planning in many years, although their financial advisor had been nagging them about it for several years. They wanted to establish new relationships with local advisors, including finding a new CPA as their prior CPA had retired. The task of starting somewhere felt important, but also overwhelming. However, they knew that if something happened to one of them, things were not in place to ensure a smooth transition of their life and their assets. Their anxiety over this was made worse after seeing a few friends and co-workers go through some health scares, and watching how easy Beth’s parents had made it by having everything in order.
Let’s take a moment to absorb how incredibly normal Robert and Beth’s situation is. And another moment to absorb how many layers there are to their lives together. This seems like a lot to plan for, but we have barely scratched the surface.
When Robert and Beth reach out to us, one of our knowledgeable team members answered many of their questions, and scheduled a consultation. From there, Robert and Beth walked through a carefully designed process where we will get to know them quite well. We will learn about how well their children get along, if their children are married, how financially responsible they are, if they would make good decisions for Robert and/or Beth should one of them become incapacitated. We learned whether they have pets, how they want to protect and manage their assets upon the death of the first spouse, how we can optimize their estate for taxes, and also ensure that Beth’s separately inherited property eventually goes to her children.
During the process, Robert and Beth don’t need to figure anything out on their own. They fill out our online questionnaire, and then have several appointments to create and review their comprehensive and highly customized estate plan, which is supplemented with customized videos and checklists. We are able to discuss the possibility of forming a corporation for Robert’s consulting work, providing for Beth’s charities that she favors after so much volunteering, and to set aside some funds for her future grandchildren’s education. They also have personal introductions to a new CPA whom they have met during the process, and have their new financial and legal team in place. At the conclusion of their signing appointment, Robert and Beth walk out of our office with the weight of planning off of their shoulders. They both have peace of mind that the other will be taken care of if something happens to them, and also that ultimately their four children, two from each side of their blended family, will have an easy time navigating the legal and financial aspects of their deaths. No one will need to guess about end of life decisions (and no one will be out of pocket for those expenses). Perhaps most importantly, they understand their plan, which is organized in a neat fire-resistant, water-resistant envelope. They also know just where to keep it and when they will need to update it. The deed to their joint home, and Beth’s rental property, were both recorded electronically during their signing appointment and are now “protected from probate”. And certainly not the best part - but a very enjoyable one - they each get a custom made sapphire cookie. Because cookies are for closers.
Note: Robert and Beth are fictional clients, but they may as well be every client we work with. This would be an extraordinarily typical client for us. This case study was designed to show several different considerations that a couple may face in estate planning, including different types of assets and objectives. If your assets or your family situation is “simpler,” that does not mean you do not mean an estate plan. And please be aware that “simple” can be very deceptive in estate planning. For example, the less money someone has, the more important it is that every penny goes to the right place, making planning even more critical.
Bonus Note: We have many case studies available in our Client Portal. If this case study does not resonate with you, please reach out to our team and we can discuss your specific situation and provide you with information more closely tailored to your needs.