Kulas Crawford & Smith is a premier estate planning and elder law firm of the Treasure Coast. Here are the advantages we are proud to offer our clients.
- A Firm Built on Values. We ground ourselves in steadfast values. These company values are our guiding light in our day-to-day activities. They give the firm the ability to tackle high-level estate planning issues for our clients in a caring way.
- Deliver Generous Value: In every interaction, we aim to provide substantial value to our clients and their loved ones. Our goal is to consistently exceed expectations and deliver exceptional results that fulfill our clients’ estate planning objectives.
- Embrace The Challenge: When difficulties arise, we do not let discomfort or obstacles deter us. We confront challenges head-on, acting swiftly and decisively on behalf of our clients and their loved ones, ensuring their best interests are always protected.
- Candid Guidance. Our team provides recommendations that prioritize the best interests of our clients. There are various types of estate plans, including traditional Will Plans, Revocable Trusts, and Irrevocable Trusts. Not every plan is suitable for every family. We see ourselves as your guide in determining the right plan for you, based on your unique goals—not on how much our firm will earn.
- Flat Fees. Our clients know the cost upfront and are never surprised by additional charges based on hours or other items. During a consultation, our attorneys help clients determine the appropriate type of estate plan to meet their goals and needs. Once a plan is recommended, the attorney will explain it in detail and provide an exact flat fee for the plan before any work begins.
- Funding Assistance. If we have decided to implement a Trust Plan, then we want that plan to work! Here is the dirty little secret about Trusts: Most Living Trusts Do Not Work. They fail because no one took the time and effort to “fund” the Living Trust properly. Funding is the process where the title of the Living Trust is added to each of your accounts or assets in the correct manner. This can be a complex process, but we are committed to reducing the funding burden for our clients. At Kulas Crawford & Smith, we assist you with every step of funding your Living Trust to ensure it works as intended.
- Flexible, Creative, and Highly Tailored Planning. Your personal goals are the most important aspect of your estate plan. Our team believes that there is always a solution that makes sense for each client’s unique planning situation. Since every client and their loved ones are unique, we excel at structuring plans that are flexible, creative, and highly tailored to meet your specific goals.
- Lifetime Communication. Once you have hired our firm, we want to make sure that you feel free to get our support when you need us. Therefore, we never charge existing clients to answer questions or share information. All phone calls, emails, and meetings with the client related to their estate plan are free!
- We Assist the Family During Incapacity and After Death. As estate planning attorneys, we, of course, create Wills, or Trusts, or Powers of Attorney, or other asset protection vehicles for our clients. However, when you “boil” that down, our job is really to set up a plan that will guide, equip, and protect a client’s family when the client is either incapacitated or deceased. As part of that service, when the client is incapacitated, we offer free consultations, emails, and phone calls to our client’s Agent(s) serving under their Powers of Attorney, Additionally, we offer a free initial consultation to the Executor or Trustee once a client is deceased.
- Resources. Kulas Crawford & Smith is the ONLY law firm in the Treasure Coast that is a member of all the following estate planning legal associations: 1) the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, 2) WealthCounsel, and 3) the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Each of these organizations gives us different tools and resources that help us provide the best planning options for our clients.
- We Believe in Legacy. Over the years, we have found that clients are concerned with capturing more about their lives than just their wishes regarding assets. Our firm is committed to helping clients preserve a “Non-Financial Legacy.” With each estate plan, we include a “My Legacy Workbook” for clients to complete and share with their families. This workbook captures unique life lessons, stories, memories, values, and wisdom that clients wish to pass on to their loved ones.