Our Planning Philosophy

At Hallock & Hallock, we believe it is important to have relationships with our clients. Estate planning is a process, not an event, and we know that can be daunting. Our system has proven to help clients identify their estate planning needs and wants, and achieve their goals. Throughout the entire process, the attorneys and staff members on our team are here to guide and support you as you plan for the future.

Whether you are still thinking about scheduling an initial consultation or are getting ready to sign your estate planning documents, taking time to look through the steps below will help you know what to expect.

Step One

Complete Our Intake Form

Before your first meeting, we ask that you complete our intake form. This allows us to get to know a little bit about you before we meet and thus make the initial consultation more personal to your situation. Don’t worry if you are unsure of your answers. Just do your best, and we will address any questions or concerns during our meeting.

If you would like to receive a copy of our intake form, please contact our office.

Step Two

Initial Consultation

This meeting is a chance for you to meet with us and make sure Hallock & Hallock is the right fit for you. We will discuss your estate planning concerns as well as your goals and objectives.

Some questions you might consider in advance of your initial consultation:

  • What outcome do I hope to achieve?

  • What do I see as roadblocks to achieving those goals?

  • Should I involve my accountant, financial planner, or other advisor in this discussion?

Step Three

Design Meeting

Depending on your circumstances, this meeting may be combined with the initial consultation. In the design meeting, we will counsel together to design your individualized plan. The precise nature of this meeting will vary depending on your situation and estate planning goals. However, here are some common issues addressed in the design meeting that you may wish to consider before we meet:

  • What assets and liabilities to I have?

  • Who will be receiving what from my estate?

  • Who will be in charge of making financial decisions if I cannot?

  • Who will be in charge of making medical decisions if I cannot?

Step Four

Review Your Draft Documents

After we have designed your plan, the next step for us is to draft the documents, legal and otherwise, that will be the foundation of your plan. We will send you a copy of the draft documents for you to review and let us know if you want to make any changes before we schedule a signing meeting.

Step Five

Signing Meeting

Once the document drafting has been completed to your satisfaction, the next step is signing. In this meeting, your estate planning documents are executed and made effective.  

Step Six

Trust Funding

This step is only applicable if you have a trust.

Trust funding means the ownership of your assets are transferred into the name of the trust. In addition, with some exceptions (such as retirement accounts) beneficiary designations are changed to the trust. Until a trust is funded, it doesn’t control anything.

We know how important this step is and that is why we assist you in funding your trust. We provide you with letters that will help you get started transferring your assets into the name of the trust. Additionally, you are always free to contact or office with any questions or concerns as you fund your trust.

Step Seven

Review and Maintenance

As circumstances change, plans need to be updated to reflect those changes. We recommend periodically reviewing your estate plan to ensure that is up to date and reflects your current wishes.   

Questions?

If you have questions about our process not covered here, or if you want to discuss your individual situation, please contact our office at (435) 753-2335 or send us an email. We Look forward to working with you.