Client Maintenance Program

Maintaining Your Estate Plan

In life, change is the one constant and is inevitable.
Common changes may include changes in your:

• Family Relationships
• Health
• Tax Laws
• Finances (including asset ownership).

The Client Maintenance Program provides a relatively inexpensive forum for families to implement an estate plan that cares for your family for the rest of your life and their life.

One common reason a well prepared estate plan fails to work is that various factors have changed and the plan is out of alignment with reality because one or several of the following situation has occurred:

• The title to your assets has changed
• You acquired or disposed of assets
• The nature of your family relationships has changed
• Your finances has changed
• Your health has taken a change for the worse, or
• The law has changed

Our Client Maintenance Program is designed to help you address uncertainty by helping you design, implement and validate an estate plan that meets your goals over the course of your life.

Just as clients should meet at least annually with their financial advisor, clients should also review their estate plan (including asset ownership) at least annually. We make it easy for you to keep your estate plan current. For an annual membership fee, our Client Maintenance Program entitles you to the following services:

• Reasonable phone calls by you or your advisors regarding your trusts to Strahm Law Group in our office at no charge;
• Minor amendments to your legal instruments such as word processing changes, trustee and agent updates;
• Specialized workshops offered throughout the year;
• Membership in our service which provides 24/7 availability of your healthcare documents using a wallet card;
• 50% discount on enhanced medical directives during membership year 1 for each of your children living in Oregon;
• Annual verification of proper titling for assets acquired during the membership year upon request;
• An annual update letter & a one hour annual review of your plan upon request;
• The Wealth Counselor newsletter

The annual membership fee of $325.00 and up for 2009 is paid after signing and is earned pro-rata over the following twelve months beginning the first of the month after signing. Clients participating in the Client Maintenance Program will be automatically billed the annual membership fee as part of our regular billing cycle. You may terminate participation in the Client Maintenance Program by notifying us in writing within 30 days of the receipt of the annual fee invoice. Clients wishing to enroll in our Client Maintenance Program who have not hired us for trust funding may only enroll upon full demonstration that all current assets to date have been fully and appropriately funded to their trust(s).

Frequently Asked Questions about the Client Maintenance Program

To help you pinpoint areas of concern in your estate plan, please take a moment to fill out our quiz

My situation is simple and I don't have very much money. Why do I need to do planning?
We work with successful people who recognize the need to plan for their family’s future, but are uncertain of the best way to accomplish this. Most people have two fundamental beliefs. The first is "their situation is simple and straightforward" and the second is "they don’t have much money." We know this because over many years that’s how almost every client conversation starts. It’s always “simple” because it is your life. You know it so it will always be simple to you. But your neighbor has a "messy" life. In our experience, every family is unique. It’s just taking that simple, but unique family and helping them integrate their goals in a world of complex, ever changing, legal and financial rules.

Plus, none of our clients have any money. Just ask them. Money is a relative concept; if it’s yours you don't have any. In our experience, regardless of your net worth, we have found that protecting your family and whatever you have is important whether it's a lot or a little.

How can I find out more about the Client Maintenance Program to see if it is what I need?
To get started, many families that we work with found it helpful to explore these issues before they made a decision. Our firm has created two unique ways to help educate you and let you explore what may work for your family before you spend the time and money. The first is a private workshop helping you identify the dangers that your family may face and the opportunities you can capture that may be slipping by. Generally, the private workshop is for families that are ready to go forward as quickly as possible, but are not sure which planning approach they need. The second is the group workshop. This workshop is for families who are still not comfortable sharing private information until they learn more. The workshop still helps you identify dangers and opportunities to capture.

I’m not certain I need an estate plan. I hear so many different opinions I am overwhelmed. Why does this seem so complicated?
Most people when they start this process know they need to do something, but they don’t know exactly what that something is. They are confused about the many differing opinions and are not sure which opinion to trust. They typically become overwhelmed by the complexity of the information and end up putting off their planning. They don’t know the questions they don’t know how to ask, and those are the most powerful ones. They live with the fear that their family will not be protected and their assets they have worked so hard to build could be lost. Plus, there is a common misconception that estate planning is only for the “rich” :however, estate planning is not exclusive to those with a lot of money. Every family wants to provide for and protect their loved ones. As a result, people may have an unidentified sense of anxiety that their planning is not sufficient. That is why we offer the Client Maintenance Program, a lifetime program protecting families in a world of constant change.

How will I benefit from the Client Maintenance Program?
When you have completed the process, you will have empowered and protected your family; you will have a customized estate plan and a strategy to ensure it works; you will have a system that provides support and keeps you on track in a world that constantly changes; and you will have a team of trusted advisors you can turn to. Knowing your family will be taken care of will give you confidence and peace of mind. In addition, you have taken steps to control the emotional and financial expenses to you and your family. Most importantly, you will have protected those you love.

This simple self-evaluation form may help you to pinpoint important issues and concerns. Please take a few minutes to analyze your personal situation by answering the following:

True or False

___ I am concerned about my ability to personally manage my property or investments

___ I need help providing daily living assistance for my spouse or parent

___ I want to update my customized disability guidelines or HIPPA release authorizations

___ I am concerned about my special needs child if I become disabled and once I pass away

___ I want to choose another Agent, personal Representative or Successor Trustee

___ I want to provide educational material to my Successor Trustee

___ I want to exit or transfer my business to a third-party or my key employees

___ I am worried about the cost of long term care

___ I own rental property in my name and am concerned that a lawsuit could wipe out my personal assets

___I am concerned because my child is in a bad marriage, and I don’t want my child’s inheritance going to the outlaw