A wise man said that we all are different but we share two things, a fear of death and fear of losing property. As a lawyer I am intimately involved in both.
Years ago I was asked by a large business to help establish an Employee Stock Option Plan ( an ESOP.) I told them I had no idea of what to do. They said, “We want you to help us find the right firm to set the thing up. We want you to act as a go-between, a facilitator, someone to make sure the job gets done quickly and effectively.” I liked the proposition.
I lined up six potential providers. The first quoted $12,000, the second $13,000, the third $395.00, the fourth $3,000 and the fifth said that such work was so complex that any quotation could only be made after initial investigations. The third one for $395.00 caught my eye. This one had 84 questions. If you could answer them all properly, you could get an IRS approved ESOP within a week. If you wanted to pay extra, you could have it in 48 hours. They gave me the questionnaire for free. All I had to do was fill it out. I knew the answers to about three of the questions. The fourth one, charging $3,000, used the $375 guys and knew the answers to almost all the questions. We, of course, went with the $3,000 offer. The client and I were very happy we did.
So that’s how I have tried to move my practice. I bought the hi-tech legal programs, I learned the questions and I learned most of the answers. You can buy a will kit or a trust planner on a disc or a book, but do you understand the questions? Do you want to spend the time learning New York’s Surrogates Court Procedure Act or Estates, Powers and Trusts Law? Have you ever even heard of a “power,” other than a “power of attorney” which is under an entirely different law (General Obligations Law §5-1501 thru 5-1602)?
I suggest you rely upon someone who has spent more than 27 years learning and practicing the law. I would be more than willing to discuss your needs and detail my needs (my fees) in return. I will send you my simple ques-tionnaire for free. If you can answer my general questions, I will tell you what you need and how much it will cost and it won’t be as high as that $3,000 provider. Some will be as inexpensive as $150.00. Please contact me immediately. You will enjoy the peace of mind of finally having your own estate plan.
Patrick Evans, Esq The Evans Law Firm 531 Washington Street, Suite 101 Watertown, New York 13601 Tel: 315-782-3600 Fax: 315-782-4854 E-Mail: ple@attyevans.com Internet: http://www.attyevans.com
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