Flat Fee Wills & Hourly Rates
Our Fort Collins located law firm offers a range of fee options for Estate Planning advice, Wills, Trusts, Durable Financial and Medical Powers of Attorney, Probate Litigation, and Probate services. We offer Simple Wills for a flat fee and standard Powers of Attorney for a flat fee. Our hourly rates are based on the area of focus and complexity. A fee letter and sometimes an estimate is given so that you have an idea of the cost of a project. Our Flat Fee Wills and Simple Estate Planning is clearly what it claims to be: a flat rate that you deposit with us in advance.
Hourly Rates:
Brett M. Hill: $350 and higher hourly
Legal Assistant: $150 to $185 hourly
NOTE: ALL our prices, fees, rates, expenses, etc. are based on a cash discount of 3.5%. If you chose to use a bankcard, you will not receive the benefit of the cash discount.
(RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. All rates require a firm fee letter to a client to apply. Rates do not include costs.)
Brett M. Hill: $350 and higher hourly
Legal Assistant: $150 to $185 hourly
NOTE: ALL our prices, fees, rates, expenses, etc. are based on a cash discount of 3.5%. If you chose to use a bankcard, you will not receive the benefit of the cash discount.
(RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. All rates require a firm fee letter to a client to apply. Rates do not include costs.)
Flat Fees:
Estate Planning
$550 Simple Will per person ($1,100.00 per couple)
$375 General Power of Attorney (simple format- medical and financial combined) per person
$200 Medical Power of Attorney per person
$200 Financial Power of Attorney per person
$200 Living Will per person
$490 plus recording costs for a Beneficiary Deed
$350 extra for a home visit if it is in the Ft. Collins area (may be more depending on distance from Ft. Collins). Hourly charges may apply in some situations.
NOTE: ALL our prices, fees, rates, expenses, etc. are based on a cash discount of 3.5%. If you chose to use a bankcard, you will not receive the benefit of the cash discount.
Total Costs for Your Estate Plan Documents
An entire basic Estate Plan for one person including a Last Will and Testament with all legal advice, Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney and Living Will (Advance Medical Directive) will cost about $1,150.00. This includes extensive one on one time with an attorney so that you will understand your personal Estate Plan.
An entire Estate Plan for a married couple (flat fee document plan) including a Last Will and Testament with all legal advice (for each spouse), Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney (for each spouse) and Living Will (Advance Medical Directive - for each spouse) will cost about $2,300.00. Fees and rates must be formalized in a signed fee agreement. These rates are subject to change.
Trust Planning starts at $800 depending on the provisions in the Trust (For example, an Estate Plan for a single person with a Trust will range between $1,000 to $3,000 and for a couple $3,000 or more based on the complexity of the trust ). We will give you a more solid idea of any trust cost before beginning the work.
Marital Agreements (also known as "Post-nup" or "Pre-nup") vary in cost based on family circumstances and assets involved. On average, a marital agreement costs between $1000 or more. Cost in this area has increased due to some recent changes in the law.
Estate Planning
$550 Simple Will per person ($1,100.00 per couple)
$375 General Power of Attorney (simple format- medical and financial combined) per person
$200 Medical Power of Attorney per person
$200 Financial Power of Attorney per person
$200 Living Will per person
$490 plus recording costs for a Beneficiary Deed
$350 extra for a home visit if it is in the Ft. Collins area (may be more depending on distance from Ft. Collins). Hourly charges may apply in some situations.
NOTE: ALL our prices, fees, rates, expenses, etc. are based on a cash discount of 3.5%. If you chose to use a bankcard, you will not receive the benefit of the cash discount.
Total Costs for Your Estate Plan Documents
An entire basic Estate Plan for one person including a Last Will and Testament with all legal advice, Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney and Living Will (Advance Medical Directive) will cost about $1,150.00. This includes extensive one on one time with an attorney so that you will understand your personal Estate Plan.
An entire Estate Plan for a married couple (flat fee document plan) including a Last Will and Testament with all legal advice (for each spouse), Medical and Financial Powers of Attorney (for each spouse) and Living Will (Advance Medical Directive - for each spouse) will cost about $2,300.00. Fees and rates must be formalized in a signed fee agreement. These rates are subject to change.
Trust Planning starts at $800 depending on the provisions in the Trust (For example, an Estate Plan for a single person with a Trust will range between $1,000 to $3,000 and for a couple $3,000 or more based on the complexity of the trust ). We will give you a more solid idea of any trust cost before beginning the work.
Marital Agreements (also known as "Post-nup" or "Pre-nup") vary in cost based on family circumstances and assets involved. On average, a marital agreement costs between $1000 or more. Cost in this area has increased due to some recent changes in the law.
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Can You Afford a Lawyer?
You can afford a lawyer. We work with clients to provide the assistance that they need. Solid legal advice is the best course to avoid costs in the future. For example, a poorly drafted Will or a "form Will" can require Court time and Attorney's Fees for the Estate (and contesting or concerned beneficiaries). The Estate may have to spend thousands of dollars within a short time to clarify the intentions of a "Cheap" Form Will. A Valid Will with careful forethought and legal advice can cost just a few hundred dollars. Also, a few hours of legal time on contracts or business matters can cost very little compared to the litigation of a matter. When going to District Court, a client can incur fees of $10,000 or $20,000 and much more. In light of the risk, the cost of preventive advice is affordable. Lawyers bill hourly for their work. A more experienced lawyer will cost more hourly, but the attorney will take less time than a new, inexperienced lawyer would need to complete a task. A more experienced lawyer will also delegate more work to legal assistants (at half of the attorney rate) and will not have to spend as much time researching legal issues. In the long run, for quality legal services, using a more experienced lawyer is worth the expense and can be more cost effective. An Experienced Probate Lawyer will be able to foresee possible long term consequences of an Estate Plan and help you avoid future litigation over the validity of a Will. A properly executed Estate Plan will avoid conflict and court time that the beneficiaries will have to deal with in the future. Also, an experienced attorney's advice can protect your assets and deal with issues such as:
At initial meetings, fees will be discussed and payment plans can be arranged. An attorney should be able to give clients an idea of how much a project will cost ahead of time and will be sure to update clients if there will be unexpected expenses. Some projects will require clients to write a check for a retainer to be kept in The Hill Law Firm LLC Trust Account to be used for expenses. If the project costs less than the retainer, the remaining money will be returned to you. If it isn't enough, you will be billed for the remaining balance. Much of Estate Planning is based on Flat Fees - otherwise the attorney or legal assistant hourly rates will apply. Please note that Flat Fees are subject to change and only apply to a person when confirmed in writing to the client from a staff attorney. |