How It Works — Portland Estate Planning in 6 Steps | Express Estate Planning
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Our process

Six steps.
No billable hour surprises.

We built the process around one constraint: your time is valuable, and attorney time is expensive. So we front-load the thinking with video education and a structured questionnaire, then use the meeting for what only a meeting can do.

2–4 wks
average from engagement to signed plan
30 min
attorney meeting — not a second more
4–6 hrs
of your time across the whole process
Flat fee
or covered by your legal insurance
01
Day 1

Engagement

You confirm your legal insurance coverage (if applicable), select your plan, and sign our engagement letter. If your insurance covers the plan, there is no out-of-pocket cost for the attorney fee.

  • Legal insurance verification (if applicable)
  • Plan selection (Basic or Full)
  • Engagement letter signed electronically
  • Client portal access granted
02
Days 1–5

Pre-Education

Before we talk, you watch. Our video library walks you through trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and beneficiary structure — so your meeting time is spent on decisions, not definitions.

  • Access to the full video library
  • Oregon-specific probate explainer
  • Trust vs. will decision framework
  • Key people: trustee, executor, POA, agent
03
Days 3–7

Questionnaire

A structured intake form that captures your assets, family structure, and wishes. This is your thinking work. Plan on 1–2 hours. It drives everything downstream.

  • Asset inventory
  • Beneficiary designations
  • Trustee and successor trustee selection
  • Guardian designations (if minor children)
  • Healthcare agent and financial POA
  • Special instructions
04
30 minutes

Attorney Meeting

A focused 30-minute video call with a licensed Oregon estate planning attorney. Because you did the prep, we skip the hour of orientation and spend the meeting on your real questions.

  • Review of your questionnaire responses
  • Clarification of complex situations
  • Strategy confirmation (trust structure, beneficiary order)
  • Any add-ons discussed and confirmed
05
5–7 business days

Document Drafting

We draft your documents based on your questionnaire and meeting notes. You review and approve your estate plan blueprint before we prepare final documents.

  • Full document set drafted by attorney
  • Estate plan blueprint sent for your review and approval
  • Final execution copies prepared
06
By appointment

Signing

Either have your documents delivered to you electronically, or schedule a signing with our notary team. Witnesses provided for in-person signings.

  • Electronic delivery via secure portal
  • Or in-person signing with notary team
  • Witnesses provided
  • Trust funding letter issued
  • Deed transfer if applicable (add-on)
Ready to get started?

Most clients complete their plan in 2–4 weeks.

Roles

What you bring. What we bring.

Your role

The thinking

  • Watch the pre-education videos
  • Complete the intake questionnaire
  • Decide who gets what, who is in charge
  • Show up to the attorney meeting ready
  • Review and approve your estate plan blueprint
  • Receive documents electronically or sign with our notary team
Our role

The drafting

  • Curate the education materials
  • Guide you through a clear questionnaire
  • Conduct a focused 30-min attorney meeting
  • Attorney drafts and QAs your estate planning documents
  • Coordinate signing logistics
  • Issue trust funding letters
Process questions

How this works in practice

Most clients complete the process in 2–4 weeks from engagement to signed documents. The timeline is almost entirely determined by how quickly you complete the questionnaire and attend your meeting.

Use the client portal messaging system. Questions that require attorney time are answered in 1–2 business days. General administrative questions are answered same day.

Yes — and if you choose the Trust-Based (Full) plan, both of you are covered. You complete one questionnaire together and attend one meeting together. Documents are drafted for both of you simultaneously.

One revision round is included in all plans. Changes that require structural redesign are scoped separately.

Only for the signing. The engagement, education, questionnaire, and attorney meeting are all remote. For signing, we offer a mobile notary option if you prefer not to come to the office.

Have a question not listed here?

Next step

See if you are covered

Legal insurance may already cover your plan. Takes two minutes to find out.

No attorney–client relationship is created until an engagement letter is signed.