How we help · Estate Planning

Estate Planning

A plan that fits the life you've actually built — not a template.

Estate planning is the legal process of arranging how your assets, health care decisions, and dependents will be handled during incapacity and after death. A good plan combines wills, trusts, powers of attorney, beneficiary designations, and tax strategy into a single coherent structure.

When families call us about this

Recognize yourself in any of these?

Scenario 1

You've never had a will, and it's starting to feel irresponsible.

Maybe you bought a house, had a child, or watched a friend's family get tangled in probate. The first plan doesn't need to be perfect — it needs to exist.

Scenario 2

Your old plan is from another lifetime.

Drafted before a remarriage, before grandchildren, before the business sold. We update plans more often than we build new ones, and the update is usually faster than starting over.

Scenario 3

You want to give your kids less to fight about.

Most family conflict after a death is about ambiguity, not money. A clear plan, communicated in advance, is the most generous thing you can leave behind.

What we do

The work, named honestly.

  • Last Will and Testament
  • Revocable living trusts and trust funding
  • Irrevocable trusts for asset protection and tax planning
  • Durable Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy
  • Beneficiary designation review across retirement and life-insurance accounts
  • Coordination with your CPA and financial advisor
How we work

An approach, not a transaction.

Our estate-planning engagements begin with a working meeting — not a sales pitch. We map your assets, family, and goals, then propose a structure with a flat fee.

About the Guidance Program
Questions families ask

Frequently asked questions about estate planning.

Do I need a trust, or is a will enough?+

It depends on what you own, how you own it, and what you want to happen. For many families, a will plus careful beneficiary designations is enough. For others — particularly those with real estate in multiple states, blended families, or a business — a trust avoids probate and gives you more control. We'll tell you straight which one fits.

How long does estate planning take?+

Most plans go from first meeting to signed documents in four to six weeks. Complex plans involving business interests or asset-protection trusts can take longer. We work to your timeline, not ours.

What does it cost?+

A basic individual estate plan starts around $1,500. A couple's plan with a revocable trust typically runs $3,500–$6,000. Complex plans with multiple trusts and tax planning are quoted individually. You always get a flat fee in writing before we begin.

Will my plan still work if I move out of state?+

Mostly. Wills and trusts drafted in NJ, NY, or PA generally remain valid if you move, but we recommend a review with local counsel. We're admitted in all three states and routinely advise families with property across the Tri-State area.

Written and reviewed by Robert J. Murray, founder of The Murray Firm. VA-accredited. Admitted in NJ, NY, PA.

Let's figure out the next step together.

A 15-minute call is free. There's no obligation, and there's no sales pitch.

Schedule the call