Estate Planning Strategies Learned from 36 Years of Practice: Pay-As-You-Go and Fixed Fees, Probate Advice, and the Importance of Cultivating Empathy for Grieving Clients

Episode 25: Estate Planning Strategies Learned from 36 Years of Practice: Pay-As-You-Go and Fixed Fees, Probate Advice, and the Importance of Cultivating Empathy for Grieving Clients

After over 36 years of legal practice, Robert Muehlenweg has developed a well-defined strategy that provides affordable and compassionate estate planning services for his clients. Today he joins us on the show to share some of the unique service options he has developed, including pay-as-you-go, fixed fees, full representation services, and how he prices these options. We talk about how he fields the estate leads we send him, including his approach to the initial consultation, and how it allows him to enroll many of his “new school” clients right over the phone. He also shares some of the emotional skills of estate planning and probate, and how important it is to relate to clients in an empathic and sensitive manner.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The differences between formal and informal probate issues, and how Robert handles each of them
• The value of offering advice and coaching on an hour-by-hour basis, and some tips on how to do so effectively
• How to determine whether to quote an exact fee or a fee range, and some typical price points for both
• Questions to ask clients in order to determine the extent of their gifting, so you can determine the rate you wish to quote as a fixed fee
• How the client’s indecision can impact the cost of services, and how to set proper expectations with a client in advance to avoid misunderstandings
• The circumstances by which a simple transfer of death deed can accomplish your client’s goals more affordably
• The difference between “old school” versus “new school” clients, and how this determines whether you should meet them in the office to enroll, or if you can sign them up right over the phone
• The importance of appreciating the emotional components of estate planning and probate, and how to relate to your clients empathetically
• How Bob has cultivated his sensitivity for grieving clients, and some recommendations for how other attorneys can develop this skill as well
• And much more...

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