Put it in writing while it's still your decision.

Wills, trusts and probate for Fairview families. Every fee is flat and printed on this page, so the first thing you learn from us isn't an hourly rate.

Book a free 20-minute call See the fees

1994Serving Fairview since

3,200+Estate plans drafted

$0For the first call

A gold fountain pen resting on a white desk

One price, agreed before we begin.

Hourly billing makes people afraid to call their own lawyer. We quote a flat fee for the whole job, including the questions you think of at 11pm and email us the next morning.

The Essentials

For most single people and couples who want the basics done properly.

Last will and testament
Financial power of attorney
Health care power of attorney and living will
Guardian nomination for minor children

$650$950 for a couple

The Living Trust

For homeowners who want their family to skip probate court entirely.

Revocable living trust and pour-over will
Both powers of attorney and living will
Deed prepared to move your home into the trust
A funding checklist for every account you own

$2,400$2,900 for a couple

Probate, start to finish

When someone has died and you've been named executor, or there was no will at all.

Opening the estate in county probate court
Inventory, creditor notices and court filings
Final accounting and distribution to heirs

From $3,500full administration

A second opinion

Bring the will or trust you already have. We'll read it and tell you plainly whether it still does what you think it does.

$175credited if you update

Court costs and recording fees are paid to the county and are separate. Fees shown are examples for this sample site.

Which one do you actually need?

Tick whatever applies. It takes about fifteen seconds and nobody will call you.

I have children under 18. I own a home or other real estate. I own property in more than one state. This is a second marriage, or we have a blended family. I own a business, or part of one. I'd like my family to avoid probate court if possible. A family member has died and I'm handling the estate.

Based on what you ticked

Start with The Essentials

A will and two powers of attorney cover most situations. It's $650 for one person, and most clients sign within two weeks of the first call.

Talk it through, free

What happens in Ohio if there's no plan.

People assume everything simply goes to their spouse. Sometimes it does. This is the usual order of events when someone dies without a will or trust.

The state's formula takes over
Immediately
Ohio law, not your wishes, decides who inherits and in what shares. Stepchildren and unmarried partners are typically left out.
Someone asks the court for permission
First few weeks
A relative applies to be administrator. Until the court appoints them, accounts in the deceased's name alone generally stay frozen.
Everything gets listed and published
Months one to three
An inventory of assets is filed with the court. It becomes a public record that anyone can read.
Creditors get their window
Six months from the date of death
The estate normally can't be closed until creditors have had their chance to file claims.
What's left is finally handed out
Commonly nine months to a year, or longer
After the final accounting is approved, heirs receive their shares, minus court costs and fees.

Make a plan instead

Two attorneys. You'll meet both.

We're a small firm on purpose. The lawyer you speak with on the first call drafts your documents and sits beside you when you sign them.

Margaret Halloran

Founding partner · Trusts and estates

Thirty-one years in practice, the last twenty-six devoted entirely to estate planning. Certified specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law. Margaret still handwrites a note to every family after a signing.

Daniel Pike

Partner · Probate and elder law

A former county probate magistrate, Daniel knows what the court wants before it asks. He handles estate administration and Medicaid planning, and takes calls from executors on weekends.

The firm's conference room with a timber table and garden doors

From families we've worked with.

“We'd put this off for eleven years. Margaret had us signed in three weeks, and it cost exactly what the website said.”

“When Dad died I had no idea where to begin. Daniel gave me a one-page list and handled everything the court sent.”

“I paid $175 to learn that the will I wrote online in 2016 left out my youngest. Money well spent.”

Sample reviews for demo purposes.

Start with a twenty-minute call.

No fee and no obligation. You'll finish the call knowing what you need, what it costs, and how long it takes.

Telephone: (555) 010-0199
Office: 48 Court Street, Suite 2, Fairview, OH
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 to 5:30. Evenings by appointment.
Home and hospital visits: Fairview, Cedar Grove, Maplewood, Lakeside, Union Mills, Prospect Hill

A client signing a document with a fountain pen

Request a call

We answer every request within one business day.