Ask How the Work Is Priced
Ask how the work will be priced and what the fee includes before you hire the firm. People sometimes focus entirely on the quoted number and assume that everything they need must be included. Others hear an hourly rate without understanding what the total might become. The uncertainty can make an already uncomfortable subject harder to address, particularly when you start wondering whether asking a question will generate another charge.
Flat Fees for Estate Planning
At Monteforte Law, we use flat fee pricing for estate planning. You know the fee for the agreed work before it begins, and each plan includes calls and emails with our office about that work. The allowance is generous, and in practice clients rarely come close to using it. We want you to ask the questions that help you understand and complete your plan. A client who stays quiet because they are worried about the cost of a phone call may miss an explanation or leave out information we need.
Predictable Is Not the Same as Cheapest
Predictability is different from being the least expensive option. We do not compete on being the cheapest firm, and we would not suggest choosing estate planning advice solely on price. You are paying for recommendations, preparation, implementation, and the work described in your agreement. The useful comparison is what each firm is undertaking and how that work addresses your situation. Two proposals can use the word “trust” while describing substantially different services.
Know What the Fee Covers
The scope deserves a careful conversation. If your plan includes a trust, how will funding be handled? If real estate is involved, what deed work is included? What happens after signing? Are reviews part of the plan you selected? You should also understand whether any recording charges, filing fees, or other outside expenses are separate. Those questions help establish what you are purchasing, rather than leaving you to discover the boundaries halfway through the process.
Time to Think Before You Commit
At your Strategic Planning Session we recommend a plan and give you its flat fee, so you can review both afterward. Webinar and seminar attendees also take the recommendation home in writing in their Family Protection Report. You should have room to think about the recommendation and discuss it with your spouse without feeling that someone is waiting across the table for an immediate answer. If you are unsure why we recommend one approach over another, we want that conversation to happen before you commit to the work.
What a Flat Fee Does Not Cover
A flat fee also needs to be understood in the context of the agreed engagement. It does not mean every legal matter that arises for the rest of your life is included in the original estate planning fee. A future administration, a substantial change in circumstances, or an unrelated project may involve different work. The expectation should be that new work and its cost are discussed before you authorize it, rather than appearing on a bill you did not expect.
Get the Terms in Writing
Written terms protect both sides from misunderstandings. You should be able to refer back to what the firm agreed to do, the fee arrangement, and any separate expenses. Massachusetts’s professional conduct rule on fees addresses communication about the scope of representation and the basis or rate of fees and expenses. Beyond the rule itself, putting the arrangement in understandable terms helps you make a decision with a clear picture of the commitment.
Settle the Money Question First
We want the financial conversation handled openly at the beginning so it does not hang over every interaction afterward. If you have a question about the proposed fee or what is included, bring it up. If you are comparing proposals, compare the work as well as the amount. Once we agree on your estate planning project, you should be able to concentrate on the decisions about your family and assets without wondering what each conversation is doing to the bill.
Start with a free 15-minute consult call with Nicole Ott, our Lead Intake Coordinator. Tell her what you are hoping to accomplish, and ask her anything you want to know about how our plans are priced. That is usually enough for us to say what to do next.
