FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Should The Client Bring To The First Meeting?
It is important to be able to document all facts asserted in a legal matter.
Therefore, the client should bring all available documents to support his or her position.
Below are lists of documents required for review in the following types of matters.
(Specific documents listed may not apply to your matter):
Special Needs Planning
- List of the medical conditions of the person with special needs
- Description of current care plan
- Description of current education plan (latest IEP)
- List of future planning concerns
- Proposed guardian
- Proposed trustee and successor trustee of special needs trust
- Most recent financial documents of assets belonging to the person with special needs
- List of third party assets to be used for the care of the person with special needs
- Copy of current will, and other estate documents, of parent of person with special needs.
- Real property deeds
- Current estate documents
Asset Preservation
- Most recent financial statements
- Real property deeds
- Beneficiary designations on;
Financial accounts
Retirement accounts
Insurance policies
Medicaid Application*
- Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate/death certificate of spouse/divorce judgment
- Social Security cards or annual award letter showing social security number
- Medicare cards and any other health insurance cards
- Copies of bank account/brokerage account statements for the last sixty (60) months on which applicant=s name appears:
A. Verification of all deposits and withdrawals of $1000.00 or more. You will need to show where the money came from for deposits, and where it was disbursed to for withdrawals.
- Stocks, bonds, certificates owned by you within the last sixty months
- Life insurance policies
A. Policies, or
B. Last statement from Life Insurance Company(s)
C. Burial plot and funeral plan
D. Last five (5) Income Tax Returns
* All of the required documents may not be available at the time of the initial meeting. Documents that are available should be brought to the first meeting
Collaborative Divorce
- Copy of marriage license
- Dates of birth of minor children
- Special needs of any family member
- Financial information
Income data and employment history
Living expenses
Separate assets
Marital assets
Debts and liabilities
Estate Planning
- Current will
- Names and Addresses of proposed fiduciaries:
Guardian of minor children
Executor
Trustee
Attorney in Fact
Health Care Agent
- Most recent financial statements
- Last income tax return filed
- Real property deeds
- Beneficiary designations on;
Financial accounts
Retirement accounts
Insurance policies
- Trust documents
- Special needs of any beneficiaries
- Divorce agreement
Probate Proceeding
:
- Original will
- Death certificate
- Most recent financial statements
- Real property deeds
- Beneficiary designations on;
Financial accounts
Retirement accounts
Insurance policies
Contracts
- Copy of existing contract
- Copies of all correspondence between the contracting parties
- Other documents which support the agreement
HOW DOES THE LAW FIRM CHARGE FOR ITS SERVICES?
Both New York and Connecticut mandate that attorneys charge for legal services pursuant to a retainer agreement signed by the client. The agreement clearly states the legal services to be provided and the amount of payment and when payment is due for the work performed.
We are sensitive to financial concerns of our clients and work hard to keep fees at a reasonable level. We ensure that there are no surprises with the costs of our services and that they are in keeping with our initial quotes as stated in the retainer agreement
Because each legal matter is fact and time sensitive, we are unable to quote the cost of a matter to a potential client over the telephone.