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Estate planning is about deciding, in advance, who manages your affairs and inherits your assets — through wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. It protects your family from confusion and avoidable court proceedings.
Set up a basic plan once you own property, have children, or marry — and update it after major life events. Families also hire estate lawyers to guide them through probate after a death.
Most estate planning is flat-fee by package (e.g. a will-based or trust-based plan). Probate and estate administration may be hourly or, in some states, set as a percentage of the estate.
