Death is inevitable, Probate Court isn’t

I help people secure their legacy, maintain control, and simplify life for loved ones.

Estate planning services that actually make sense

A flat fee that meets you where you are

I believe everyone deserves the confidence & security of an estate plan tailored to their values & concerns.

To help, I scale my fee to the size of your estate.

Extending the same level of service, offered in a spirit of fairness and justice.

Find actual, transparent fees here

Comprehensive & Creative

Exhale into a planning process that is:

  • conversational & authentic

  • simple yet thoughtful

  • meaningful

  • confident

Peek down the path here

Simple & Personal Process

A great estate plan speaks to your values, goals & concerns—both in life and death.

I take time to listen to my clients and find creative solutions—often to issues they didn’t know how to name.

I’m passionate about how our intentional choices in life can meaningfully ripple out in our absence.

Discover why I choose to ‘deal in death’ here

Lets start a conversation & see where it leads

A typical estate plan can be completed in a month-ish provided the meeting calendar stars align.

The first step is right here.

It’s 30 min, stress-free and it actually is free.

The path beyond:

  • 30 min online questionnaire

  • 2 hour deeper conversation with me

  • 1 hour to review and respond to any drafting notes & questions

And then BOOM, life and death sorted!

Or at least a sense of accomplishment and assurance.

Flat Fee,

Fairly Scaled

Extending the same level of service, offered in a spirit of fairness and justice.

I believe everyone deserves the confidence & security of an estate plan tailored to their values & concerns.

Expand for fee scaled to estate size*

  • $2500 estate $2M+

    $1750 estate $1-2M

    $1250 estate under $1M

    *Note: as needed you may set up whatever zero interest payment plan works for you.

    Please do not let cost deter you.

  • $3500 estate $3M+

    $3000 estate $2-3M

    $2500 estate under$1-2M

    $1750 estate under $1M

    *Note: as needed you may set up whatever zero interest payment plan works for you.

    Please do not let cost deter you.

  • Flat fee, not per child.

    For Individual Estates:

    $750 estate $2M+

    $500 estate $1-2M

    $250 estate under $1M

    For Married Estates:

    $750 estate $3M+

    $500 estate $2-3M

    $350 estate under $1-2M

    $250 estate under $1M

  • Candidly, if you’re here seeking a revision to an existing Trust you’re probably better off starting fresh.

    But, not always!

    So here is my offer:

    I review existing Trusts for $500 to ensure they still capture your original goals in light of changes in law and best practice.

    A further hourly rate of $250/hr applies for any revisions (an estimated scope of work will be given prior to undertaking).

    If, at any point following the review, it seems likely that the cost to amend will exceed a new Trust, you may opt to apply the accrued revision fees toward a new Trust.

Included in the core estate plan package is:

  • The Trust itself

  • Certificate of Trust

  • Pour-Over Will

  • Power of Attorney for Finance

  • Advanced Health Care Directive

    • optional POLST (if DNR is important)

    • optional CA database registry

  • HIPAA Waiver List

* You do not have to ‘open your books’ to me, this relationship is based on mutual good faith.

Your estimate should include the total current value of banking, investment & retirement accounts along with the equity value—market value less mortgage—of any real estate.

Love of others drives my passion for estate planning

I love estate planning because I love working directly with clients in deeply meaningful ways.

Done properly, estate planning should center your values, goals & concerns. If we understand everything else through that personal lens, we’ll help you achieve a confident and assured estate plan that works for you both in life and death.

I offer a process that is:

—simple yet thoughtful

—conversational & authentic

—meaningful

I also offer a flat fee, scaled to meet you where you’re at in life.

As a parent I’ve come to see estate planning as another opportunity to instruct and shape our children even in our absence.

We demonstrate our love for our children by providing for them, and modeling responsibility.

We may also take steps to protect our children from the dangers of sudden financial gain at too young an age.

Even in our old age, having a thoughtful and thorough estate plan provides a solid and simple roadmap for our loved ones to follow in the wake of deep loss.

You have questions, I like to hear them.

*I might even have answers.

This form really just goes straight to my email (bret@bwjlegal.com) but sometimes its nice to stay in one place and not feel tethered to your email box, or risk being enticed by that coffee subscription service you opt in and out of (just me?)

So please, drop me a message however you’d like and I will do my best to respond within 48 hours.