I make recommendations; I let my clients decide which recommendations to pursue; and then I draft appropriate legal documents.
In many situations, I work closely with other professionals whom my clients have retained, including accountants, financial planners, and insurance agents, in order to efficiently meet our clients' needs.
My Fees: For most estate planning projects, I charge a "fixed fee" for the work I do. I believe that this encourages clients to consult more closely with me and to ask more questions, and therefore improves both my relationship with my clients and the quality of my work. (My fixed fee is based on my estimate of the time I will spend on the complete estate planning project, and is different for each client.)
Generally, a married couple with identical estate-planning objectives can hire the same attorney, paying only a single fee (which is often only $100 or so more than the cost to prepare one person's estate plan).
I am often asked to quote a price for a "simple will"; I can't do so because there is no such thing. Every estate plan is unique, and I would not fulfill my duty as an attorney if I simply drafted a basic will without discussing other aspects of estate planning.
However, I understand my clients' concerns about fees, especially for estate-planning work that could possibly be deferred to another day.
When someone asks about a "simple will," I assume that in addition to preparing a basic will, I will also assist my clients with durable powers of attorney for health care and general financial durable powers of attorney, and I will also discuss titling for property and beneficiaries for retirement accounts and insurance. For such services, my "fixed fee" is typically in the range from $1,000 to $2,000.
If my clients' estate plan will also include a revocable living trust, typical fees range from $1,500 to $3,000. Again, my fee is based on my estimate of the time I will spend serving my clients.
For probate work (representing the executor or administrator of a deceased person's estate), I usually charge my regular hourly rate (currently $190 per hour), with the statutory probate fee serving as the maximum fee. For guardianships, I usually charge my hourly rate, but I can set an agreed maximum fee if the case is not contested.