Get Clear answers to common questions about our Discovery call, our process and how we help Georgia families protect what matters most to them.
Estate planning starts with understanding what matters to you, not choosing documents.
Learn more about our approach in the video below, then explore answers to some of the most common questions families ask.
That depends on your circumstances and what you want your plan to accomplish.
A Will and a Trust serve different purposes. While a Will allows you to direct how certain assets are distributed after death, it doesn’t avoid probate or address every concern that may arise during your lifetime.
The right solution depends on your goals, your assets, and the protections you want in place for yourself and your loved ones.
Maybe, but what seems simple on the surface doesn’t always tell us what planning will actually accomplish your goals.
A Will may be appropriate in some situations. In others, considerations like probate, incapacity, asset ownership, or long-term care may change the recommendation.
That’s why we first understand what you’re trying to protect, avoid, or accomplish before recommending a solution.
Without a Will, Georgia’s intestate succession laws determine who inherits certain assets, which may not reflect your personal wishes or your family’s circumstances.
These laws also don’t address what happens if you become incapacitated and can no longer make decisions for yourself.
Creating your own Estate Plan allows you to make intentional decisions about your future, your assets, and the people you care about.
Many families come to us with an Estate Plan created years ago, prepared in another state, or completed by another attorney.
Rather than spending time and money reviewing and revising individual documents, our attorneys typically recommend creating a new plan tailored to your current circumstances, goals, and Georgia law.
In many cases, starting fresh is more cost-effective and helps ensure all parts of your plan are designed to work together.
If you choose to move forward, we’ll guide you through replacing or revoking the appropriate parts of your previous plan.
No.
In fact, we’d rather you tell us what’s happening in your life and what you’re concerned about than try to determine which legal solution you need on your own.
You might know you want to avoid probate, protect your children, preserve assets from long-term care costs, update an old plan, or simply make things easier for your family someday.
Start there. Our process is designed to help determine what planning, if any, makes sense from there.
The investment depends on your circumstances, what you’re trying to protect, avoid, or accomplish, and the planning strategy needed to achieve those goals.
During your Discovery Call, we’ll provide a general fee range based on the information you share. If you choose to move forward, your attorney will provide the exact fee for your recommended plan at your Design Meeting.
There isn’t one price for an Estate Plan because there isn’t one solution that’s right for every family.
Not all estate plans provide the same level of planning, guidance, or support.
Some services focus primarily on preparing documents, while others address how your assets are handled, how your wishes will be carried out, and what your loved ones may need in the future.
When comparing options, it’s important to understand what’s included and whether the solution addresses your goals, not just the upfront fee.
Not all Estate Plans provide the same level of planning, guidance, or support. Having a Trust or Will in place doesn’t necessarily mean everything has been addressed.
At Bascom Law, we begin by understanding what you’re trying to protect, avoid, or accomplish. From there, we develop a personalized strategy that considers your family’s circumstances, assets, concerns, and goals.
Our approach extends beyond preparing and signing documents. We provide funding guidance and resources, succession team education, and ongoing support options to help your plan work as intended.
The documents support the strategy, not the other way around.
Your Discovery Call is a focused conversation with a Discovery Specialist about your situation, concerns, and goals.
We’ll listen, ask questions to better understand what you’re trying to accomplish, and explain our approach to estate planning.
Our goal isn’t to convince you that you need something. It’s to determine whether there’s a fit between what you’re looking for and the type of planning we provide.
By the end of the call, you’ll have a better understanding of whether taking the next step with Bascom Law makes sense for you.
Before recommending a solution, we want to understand your circumstances, concerns, and what you’re hoping to accomplish.
Your Discovery Call is with a Discovery Specialist who will help identify your needs, answer questions about our approach, and determine whether a Design Meeting with an attorney makes sense.
This allows your attorney meeting to focus on your specific circumstances and potential solutions.
Everyone involved in making decisions about the estate plan should participate in the Discovery Call.
For married couples, both spouses are required to attend, since estate planning involves shared goals, assets, and decisions that affect both people.
Having everyone involved from the beginning allows us to understand each person’s priorities and concerns and ensures everyone is part of the conversation.
If either spouse is unable to attend, we’ll reschedule the call for a time when both can participate.
No. You don’t need to gather legal or financial documents for your Discovery Call.
Before your appointment, you’ll need to complete a brief questionnaire called a Personal Data Collector (PDC). It takes approximately 5–10 minutes and gives us a general understanding of your family, assets, and planning goals.
This helps us make the most of our time together and focus on what matters most to you.
The questionnaire must be completed before your Discovery Call. If it hasn’t been submitted, we’ll reschedule your appointment to allow time for completion.
A Discovery Call makes the most sense when there’s something you want to address and you’re ready to explore whether Bascom Law is the right firm to help you accomplish your goals.
You don’t need to know which Estate Plan, Trust, or legal strategy you need. That’s part of our approach. However, you should be ready to discuss what’s important to you and consider the investment involved if our services are a good fit.
During the call, we’ll discuss your circumstances, explain our approach, and provide a general investment range based on the information you share.
The goal is for both of us to determine whether moving forward together makes sense.
If we determine there’s a mutual fit and you’d like to continue, the next step is scheduling a Design Meeting with an attorney.
A $500 nonrefundable booking fee reserves your appointment, and the full amount is credited toward any estate plan you choose.
During your Design Meeting, your attorney will review your circumstances, discuss recommended legal strategies, and explain the proposed solution and investment so you can decide how you’d like to move forward.
Many families come to us with an Estate Plan created years ago, prepared in another state, or completed by another attorney.
Rather than spending time and money reviewing and revising individual documents, our attorneys typically recommend creating a new plan tailored to your current circumstances, goals, and Georgia law.
In many cases, starting fresh is more cost-effective and helps ensure all parts of your plan are designed to work together.
If you choose to move forward, we’ll guide you through replacing or revoking the appropriate parts of your previous plan.
Yes. We help Georgia families plan for long-term care as well as respond when care is becoming an immediate need.
If you’re planning ahead, we can discuss strategies designed to protect assets and prepare for potential future care costs.
If you or a loved one is already in a nursing home or may need nursing home care soon, let us know when you contact us. These situations can be time-sensitive, and our team will determine the appropriate next step based on your circumstances.
Yes. Medicaid applications can involve extensive financial information, documentation, and follow-up.
Our team can help guide you through the application process, organize the required information, address issues that arise, and help you understand what to expect along the way.
If you’re looking for help with a Medicaid application, tell us when you first contact our office so we can understand where you are in the process.
OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE
You deserve to understand your options before you make any decisions. That’s why we begin by understanding your circumstances and determining whether we’re the right fit to help.
If there’s something you’d like to address, let’s start with a conversation to see whether we’re the right fit to help.
