I am looking for a reasonably priced and competent attorney who can put together a revocable trust.

The trust is relatively simple though the assets that would go into the trust are fairly substantial.

I have minor children and if something happens to me, I want to ensure that their financial interests are protected.

Ideally, I would like to find a reasonably priced attorney in the Leesburg/Ashburn area.

Tom Campbell in Fairfax City

Be careful who you ask what for.

The Collins firm is great, the seminar helped us understand why we needed one.

lookingforatrustlawyer Wrote:
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> I am looking for a reasonably priced and competent
> attorney who can put together a revocable trust.
>
> The trust is relatively simple though the assets
> that would go into the trust are fairly
> substantial.
>
> I have minor children and if something happens to
> me, I want to ensure that their financial
> interests are protected.
>
> Ideally, I would like to find a reasonably priced
> attorney in the Leesburg/Ashburn area.


Those assets won't be so substantial for long as your son continues to drain them with frivolous lawsuits and childish antics.

A good estate plan that includes a revocable trust is also going to include a will, power of attorney and medical documents. Depending on what you own you may need to change the ownership or pay on death beneficiary of assets. Most good estate lawyers are going to charge you at least $5,000 to do a basic estate plan that includes a revocable trust. There are some that will do it for around $3,000. Below that you are probably either looking at a la carte pricing or you are getting someone who fills in the forms.

Do not pay high prices because you think it is a fancy law firm. All of these trusts and wills are created using off the shelf computer programs even if you go to a law firm. The work will also be done by a paralegal.

Legal Warning Wrote:
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> A good estate plan that includes a revocable trust
> is also going to include a will, power of attorney
> and medical documents. Depending on what you own
> you may need to change the ownership or pay on
> death beneficiary of assets. Most good estate
> lawyers are going to charge you at least $5,000 to
> do a basic estate plan that includes a revocable
> trust. There are some that will do it for around
> $3,000. Below that you are probably either
> looking at a la carte pricing or you are getting
> someone who fills in the forms.

My situation has some unusual factors in play. At this point all I need is to establish a revocable trust primarily to ensure the assets that would be within the trust that would be used for the care of my minor children would be safeguarded in the event of my death.

I already have a will and medical directives in place. A change in circumstances make it necessary to have a revocable trust.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and feedback

There once was a good lawyer in Fairfax County, but he's dead now.

The money you pay for a good lawyer is not just for filling out the boiler plate forms. Estate planning is tricky, and different for everyone. If you're going to invest the time and money to do so, get it right or you're wasting your efforts. The estate taxs are now 55%. Eldercare law got real complicated in the 90s. The democrats have made it clear that because they are responsible for everything you've earned, they should get it when you die. Not my opinion, so I paid a good estate attorney to tailor a plan for my families needs. This way my children can benefit from my years of hard work. I know this will disappoint Pelosi and Obama, but I'm just funny that way. Try Jeffery Silverstein.

just saying Wrote:
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> The money you pay for a good lawyer is not just
> for filling out the boiler plate forms. Estate
> planning is tricky, and different for everyone.

Let me be more specific. What I am dealing with is an unexpected divorce. I have assets that were acquired pre-marriage plus life insurance. If something happens to me, although I can name my minor children as the beneficiaries, from a practical standpoint it would end up with these assets being controlled by their father.

I want to establish a trust as the named beneficiary with a trustee who I have confidence will act in the best interests of my children if I should die while they are still incapable of responsibly managing their inheritance.

Someone told me that the standard trust agreements that are available from outfits like NOLO will suffice for this purpose but I would prefer to use an attorney who can just deal with this specific need.

Debbie Kauffman in Tysons was excellent in setting up our complicated trust. Good luck.

We want to hear the circumstances. Do you think he's going to kill you or have you killed? This place is famous for "you heard it here first."

Coury Macdonald at the law offices of Juan Milanes in Reston. He is fantastic.

.....anddd this is why I am not getting married (as a woman). I have a successful small business, and the minute potential dates find out about it, all of a sudden they want to work for me "under the table" or move into my nice 4 bedroom home or borrow my sports car.

Now I see why (some) rich men don't marry- too much hassle trying to determine who likes you for YOU and who likes you for your $$$$.....

To stay on topic though-

OP- make sure you check with the VA state bar to make sure they are actually licensed and in good standing, and also check out avvo.com (no i dont work for them!) to check the lawyer's ratings. Google their name and see if you come up with any thing that gives you pause.

If you're not lying about being successful, you can move into my nice home and borrow my sports car (if you know how to drive manual).

rich man of ffxu Wrote:
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> If you're not lying about being successful, you
> can move into my nice home and borrow my sports
> car (if you know how to drive manual).


Sorry sweetie, I only need the 6 speeds in the car I have now and not a 7th stick to shift right now. I'm enjoying the bachelor-ette life for now I am still young and have time ;)

Good luck though!

Estate planning isn't simply about having the correct forms. It is about having your financial affairs organized in such a way that the assets pass to the desired beneficiaries at your death. Quite often I will see people who assume their trust form is enough, but because they didn't title their assets properly you still end up having to go through a judicial estate administration. The reason you are paying the attorney isn't to have him fill out the forms for you. You are paying the attorney to provide you with guidance. That guidance will almost certainly include changing your will so that the will and trust work together.

Unless you are looking at an estate in excess of $5,450,000, Federal estate and gift taxes are unlikely to be a consideration.

Legal Warning Wrote:
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> A good estate plan that includes a revocable trust
> is also going to include a will, power of attorney
> and medical documents. Depending on what you own
> you may need to change the ownership or pay on
> death beneficiary of assets. Most good estate
> lawyers are going to charge you at least $5,000 to
> do a basic estate plan that includes a revocable
> trust. There are some that will do it for around
> $3,000. Below that you are probably either
> looking at a la carte pricing or you are getting
> someone who fills in the forms.

Legal Warning is correct. I had a Revocable Living Trust(RLT) created, along with a Will, Power of Attorney(POA), and a Medical Directive. I paid $3k for the service. I went to Handler & Levine in Bethesda, MD. Great service, great people.