FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A. Usually, you don’t need to have anything with you for your first estate planning appointment other than to know whom you plan to appoint an executor of your Will. If you have minor children, you will need to have the name of a tutor (guardian) and at least one alternate tutor for your minor children. If you want to establish a testamentary trust, you should have the name of a trustee and at least one alternate trustee. Click here to visit our Estate Planning page for more information.

A. The following is a list of items we will need to work on a succession. Note that not all items will pertain to all families, and if you don’t have one of the items listed, you don’t need to wait to make an appointment--you can bring it to us when you get it, and we can help you get certain items.

• original will
• acts of sale for real estate owned at the decedent’s death and acts of sale in which decedent reserved minerals
• stock certificates or stock account statements as of the date of death
• brokerage statements
• savings bonds not payable to a valid beneficiary
• bank account statements as of the date of death
• information about certificates of deposit
• life insurance policies, IRAs, or annuities payable to the decedent’s estate or with no valid beneficiary designation
• vehicle titles or registration, mileage, and trim level (ES, LX, XLE, etc.) for all vehicles
• boat registration
• death certificate (if available)
• name, address (including parish/county), phone numbers, e-mail address, social security number, and spouse’s name for each child/heir
• name and date of death of each predeceased child and name, address (including parish/county), phone numbers, social security number, and spouse’s name for each child of the predeceased child

A. The time it takes to complete a succession depends on the complexity of the work to be done. Some decedents have fairly simple successions that take only 8-10 weeks, or even shorter, while other successions are complicated and could take six months or longer. There are many factors that affect how long a succession will take to complete. Once we know the scope of the work to be done, we will be able to estimate the time required. Keep in mind that since we will need you to furnish much of the information we need, one of the factors that affect the time it takes is you.

A. Just as it would be impossible for a fence company to quote you a fee for building a fence without knowing the size of your yard, it is impossible to quote a succession fee without first meeting with the family to see what work is to be done. The cost of succession depends on the complexity of the work to be done.

A. We cannot quote a fee without knowing what kind of estate plan you require. After your first meeting, we will be able to estimate a fee for you. 

A. No, we do not accept credit or debit cards as payment.

A. No, these products are not valid in Louisiana. They say so right on the box! We find that when clients write their own Wills, they end up costing their families more money to do the succession than they saved by not doing a proper Will.

A. Yes, our attorneys are licensed to practice law anywhere in Louisiana. However, the majority of our work is from the Houma-Thibodaux area, including the following zip codes: 70301, 70302, 70343, 70344, 70352, 70353, 70356, 70359, 70360, 70361, 70363, 70364, 70377, 70395.