Our Fees

The following is a general summary of our legal fees and billing guidelines. Our primary goal is to provide you with quality legal service at a reasonable price. Knowing the facts at the beginning of our representation can help avoid misunderstandings and allow us to develop a strategy that is in your best interest.

DO YOU CHARGE FOR INITIAL CONSULTATIONS?

For most cases, we will charge a fixed fee of $150.00 for an initial 30-minute consultation to evaluate your situation and provide recommendations concerning solutions to address your needs and objectives. The client and our office then mutually decide whether needs are met after this initial meeting, or whether our services will be engaged for continued representation.

WHAT TYPES OF FEE ARRANGEMENTS DO YOU PROVIDE?

We commonly use one of two types of fee arrangements: 1) fixed fee or 2) hourly billing.

  1. Fixed Fees: For a majority of estate planning services, we charge a fixed fee. This fee is set at the initial meeting and is based upon the facts disclosed at the initial meeting, the difficulty of the issues involved and our estimate of the time that will be required to provide the requested services.

  2. Hourly Billing: Our hourly rate of $300.00 is competitive with law firms in northeast Indiana. This rate also factors in a superior level of service that may not be available at other firms. The hourly fee is determined by multiplying the hourly billing rate of the professional providing the service and the time spent on the matter. We will typically request a retainer when we begin the case. We will bill against the retainer fee as time is accrued on the file. We will discuss all of this with you and confirm how you wish to proceed.

WHAT IS A RETAINER?

A retainer might be better described as a deposit. It is applied as fees are accrued. If the total fees in a case are less than the retainer, we refund the balance to our client. If the fees exceed the retainer, we will discuss with our clients the benefits of an additional retainer.

WILL I BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COSTS AND EXPENSES?

Yes, clients are typically billed for costs and expenses separately from fees. For example, you would be responsible for fees to record a deed, or obtain a copy of a deed. We discuss anticipated costs with our clients in advance. We do not like surprises and we understand that neither do you.

WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?

We accept payment by check, cash, and credit card. We accept most credit cards including VISA, MasterCard, and Discover. For your convenience you can pay your bill online by clicking the 'current clients' tab on our website and selecting 'make a payment'.