Panic-free Planning Potlucks:
Getting Together and Getting It Done.
We’ve all been there: you need to get your Will done, you need documents in place in case something happens. You keep meaning to get to it, perhaps you’ve even bought Do-It-Yourself materials online. But you haven’t done it. Maybe you can’t spend a lot of money right now, but you wake up in the middle of the night panicking about the ‘what-ifs’ and are ready to do that something.
Here is a way to get the basics in place without breaking the bank. Host or attend a Panic-free Planning Potluck. Getting together and getting it done.
By the end of the evening you will have a valid Will, Financial Power of Attorney and Advance Health Care Directive. Done with the help and guidance of an experienced estate planning attorney.
If you are interested in organizing a Panic-free Planning Potluck, download this document and follow the instructions. For FAQs, scroll down, or contact me for more information.
| how_to_organize_a_panic-free_planning_potluck.pdf |
How does the Panic-free Planning Potluck work?
Here’s how the event works: You bring together other people in the same boat – folks who need to get this done. Using an online event planning service, you find a date that works for me and all guests and everyone prepays for the event. Everyone agrees to bring a dish (just like a normal potluck) so we can gather in the comforting presence of good food. You'll have some homework to do before the event - a little bit of reading and a questionnaire to complete. You won't have to make all of your decisions before you arrive, but you'll need to narrow things down to a few options.
At the Potluck, I'll give a presentation about estate planning and about the documents we’ll be working on together. With my help, everyone will complete their documents by filling in the necessary blanks. I'll be there to answer questions and help you finalize your decisions. Then I will lead everyone through the process of signing the documents. Guests will be asked to serve as witnesses for one another’s Wills and I will notarize the Powers of Attorney. After the Potluck, I will send your original documents to you after I have made copies for my own files. Then you can go about your life, panic-free. Or at least with one less thing to panic about.
Sorry – no alcohol will be permitted at the Potlucks until everyone’s documents are signed. Participants are welcome to bring bubbly (or bourbon!) to share. Then, once everyone's documents are signed, anyone who wants can have a drink Whew!
What kind of estate plan is this?
The documents we will complete at the Panic-free Planning Potluck are generally the same documents that are available to the general public at low or no cost. These are basic documents that will not contain all of the bells and whistles of an indepth, customized plan. BUT, by completing these documents at a Panic-free Planning Potluck you are getting my advice and guidance in completing these documents, and you are getting it done.
What you WILL get with the Potluck Plan:
+ A Will, a financial Power of Attorney and an Advance Health Care Directive. These three documents will address management of your money, and arranging for the care of your minor children, in the event of incapacity or death. I will also give you basic tips for life insurance and retirement beneficiary designations.
+ Peace of mind. You did it. You may not have the fanciest estate plan but you have something Here, something is better than nothing.
+ The advice of an experienced and compassionate estate planning attorney – you are mostly doing it yourself, but I will make sure you are doing it right.
What you will NOT get with the Potluck Plan:
+ A customized estate plan – you will instead receive a one-size fits many plan.
+ Probate Avoidance – this plan does NOT include a Revocable (Living) Trust. I will, however, advise you on what you can do to stay out of probate court as much as possible without a revocable trust.
+ Complete one-on-one advice and a guarantee of confidentiality. This is a group event, some of your laundry will inevitably be aired or overheard. I will make every effort to create a private space at each Potluck for confidential questions.
Who is right for a Panic-free Planning Potluck?
Really anyone can benefit from getting basic documents in place - something is better than nothing, right? However, if you don't have a Will in place, the difference between something and nothing is particularly important if you have life partner who is not your spouse or registered domestic partner or if you are a parent of young children (or both!)
If you have children with another adult who is not your current partner, if you and your partner have total assets (including life insurance and retirement accounts) of more than $3 million, if you have any special needs children, or if you have dependents other than your spouse/partner and your children you should check with me first to see if we can accomplish your basic planning goals with the Potluck documents, or whether we should work on a more customized plan for you.
How much does it cost?
The Panic-free Planning Potluck requires a minimum of 8 people (4 couples, or 8 single people, or any combination!). The cost is $215 per person or $330 per couple. If your event is more than 15 miles from San Francisco, a travel fee may apply.
If you decide, after completing documents at a Panic-free Planning Potluck, that you want a more in-depth, customized estate plan, I will be happy to work with you on that plan. If you hire me within two years of attending a Potluck, I'll credit the amount you already paid for the Potluck Plan toward the cost of your new documents.