Your first conversation
Contact our office to arrange an estate planning consultation with Spiro, in person or by Zoom or teleconference. We will help you prepare for your meeting.
After any applicable consultation fee is paid, we send you a personal link to the questionnaire through your secure Clio for Clients portal. Your answers are saved directly to your protected client file. The questionnaire helps Spiro prepare for your conversation, and our staff can help if you have questions.
Your consultation is with Spiro and lasts at least an hour. You will have time to discuss your family, ask questions, and understand the available approaches.
Clear scope and fees
The consultation fee is credited in full toward documents or other services if you engage us; existing clients ordinarily do not pay it. Fees are discussed with you privately, and document work is quoted for a flat fee in writing before it begins.
Our transparent, flat fees for document preparation include drafting, a review of the drafts with you, witnessing, notarization, duplication, scanning, delivery of paper and PDF copies of your signed documents, and permanent storage of your originals in our safe. There is no additional charge for these services. Recording charges for deeds and certificates of trust are included in the fee for those documents. Where a matter calls for additional work, such as coordinating property in several states, a closely held business, or transfer-tax planning, that work is quoted before it is undertaken.
Probate and trust administration are handled on retainer, with fees based on the applicable statutory schedule and the terms of the engagement agreement. Florida’s statutory fee schedules provide presumptions of reasonableness; they are not mandatory, and fees are subject to negotiation. Other work, including agreements among beneficiaries and amendments to documents prepared by other lawyers, is billed hourly. The engagement letter states the services and fee basis for your matter.
A plan shaped around you
A plan may include a will, a durable power of attorney, health care directives, a declaration naming a preneed guardian, and documents addressing particular property or family needs. A trust-based plan generally includes a revocable living trust together with a companion pour-over will, a certification of trust, and instructions for coordinating assets with the trust. Spiro explains why each document is included and how it relates to the rest of the plan.
Reviewing and signing
You have an opportunity to review the drafts and ask questions before signing. Spiro explains the provisions that matter most to you, including the authority given to your fiduciaries and the terms under which your beneficiaries receive property. Our staff supports the process through scheduling, document preparation, recording, and communication.
Your signing appointment in Palm Harbor
Our usual practice is to sign Florida estate planning documents in person at our Palm Harbor office. Our team guides you through the process and coordinates the witnesses, notarization, and other formalities required for each document, with careful attention to Florida’s exacting signing requirements.
Consultations are available at our Palm Harbor office or by Zoom or teleconference. If you prefer to meet in person closer to home, Tampa and St. Petersburg remain available for consultations by appointment. Please arrange your visit in advance. We consider alternative signing arrangements in extraordinary circumstances, after reviewing your needs and the documents involved.
We also explain what copies you should keep and who should receive them. Please bring a valid government-issued photo identification for each person we will be representing.
Put the plan into effect
An estate plan must be coordinated with the way you own your assets. We help identify the deeds, account changes, and beneficiary designations needed to carry out your plan and explain who is responsible for each step. When another lawyer, financial institution, title company, or tax professional must be involved, that work is coordinated as part of the agreed scope.
Keep your documents accessible to the people who may need them, and contact us when your family, property, or circumstances change. A periodic review helps keep the plan aligned with your decisions.
A continuing relationship
An estate plan is often the beginning of a long relationship. Spiro takes a holistic approach, getting to know the people and concerns behind your legal questions. His aim is to help you feel at ease, protect what matters to you, and provide care and attention that exceed your expectations.
When another legal or financial need arises, you can start with a familiar conversation. We generally do not accept new guardianship matters except for existing clients. Verras Law does not accept immigration, personal injury, or medical malpractice matters. For new guardianship matters outside that scope, or when clients need help in those other areas, Spiro can introduce them to trusted colleagues with whom he works. His professional relationships also include lawyers who handle commercial litigation, probate and trust disputes, bankruptcy, land use, and other matters, as well as CPAs who can help with tax and financial questions.
If you would like him to stay involved, he can join conversations with your other advisers, help you think through decisions, and keep your family’s broader plans in view. His involvement is guided by what you find helpful. You have a lawyer who knows you and takes a personal interest in how things work out.
Arrange a consultation
To arrange a consultation or ask about the process, contact our office or call 727.493.2900. Consultations are available in Palm Harbor, in Tampa or St. Petersburg by appointment, or by Zoom or teleconference.