Services

We provide legal services in five major areas:

Estate Planning including:
Wills & Testamentary Trusts
Revocable Living Trusts
Community Property Agreements
Coordination on Nonprobate Designations
Powers of Attorney
Living Wills ("Health Care Directives")
Probate Avoidance
Special Needs Trusts

Guardianship for persons who are at risk of harm to their person or estate based on a pattern of conduct. Typically these persons have not previously named someone to assist them and now need help managing their personal or financial affairs.  We can assist in the petition process as well as in the ongoing needs of a guardian.

Probate and Trust Administration.  If someone passes away leaving probate property we can assist with the probate process.  The first step is deciding if probate is necessary and what provisions of the probate process are applicable.  We also help successor trustees of living trusts when the trustor(s) is incapacitated or has passed away. 

Special Needs Planning.  When someone with a disability has assets that disallow them from receiving public benefits, we can assist in establishing a special needs trust either for that person or for a family member to leave the disabled person funds without destroying their benefits. 

Paying for Long Term Care.  We assist in helping to determine how to pay for long term care in Washington state by determining which strategies will benefit you: Medicare, Veteran's Benefits (Aid & Attendance or Housebound), Long Term Care insurance, private payment (including annuities and reverse mortgages) and Medicaid (including COPES, Medicaid skilled care and medically needy).  We also consider incapacity decision making, health care wishes and the impact on your estate plan.  Washington has complex and unique Medicaid rules that we help clients navigate. We do not help with Oregon long term care and/or Oregon Medicaid.

Development of long term care strategies has three components: review of goals, family situation and assets; then education about the choices available; and development of legal strategies to help you plan for and pay for a long term care need.  To get started, please call for an information packet.

Attorney Fees

General Information.  We are a fee based law firm.  We understand this may be a scary concept.  But, payment for services is what allows us to continue providing quality legal services. Our goal is to fully explain fees to you at the initial meeting so that you can then decide whether or not to invest in having an attorney assist you. We use blended rates of attorney and legal assistant time which helps to minimize overall project cost and maximize efficiency.   And, whenever possible we will try to quote you a flat fee so that you know exactly what the fees will be and can determine whether you wish to proceed.  In all cases we strive to provide services in an efficient manner and hope that by providing you with legal services we are providing you benefits or savings. 

Client Tip.   In most cases your legal fees can be reduced, your options increased and results quickened if you retain legal services promptly and provide us with all the information necessary at the first meeting.

Project Cost.  We are often asked how much a project will cost.  We cannot determine that before we meet.  The cost of a will for one person may be drastically different than for someone else based on each client's wishes, assets and circumstances.  And so, we will not provide a quote until you meet with an attorney to determine the scope of your project. 

Initial Consultation.  There is a fee for the initial consultation. The initial consultation fee is based on how long the meeting takes and usually must be paid at the initial meeting.  Some initial consultations, such as long term care consultations or Medicaid, take longer and thus are more expensive.  We know that some attorneys provide free first consultations.  We do not as we strive to provide you with comprehensive legal advice at the first meeting, rather than simply having a get to know you session.  If you want to meet us first, we invite you to attend any of our seminars.