San Luis Obispo Estate Planning Lawyer | Toews Bio & Abram, Inc.

Planning for your future requires a deep understanding of your specific needs and goals, knowledge of the law, and the ability to integrate the two into a cohesive plan. Whether you are looking to get your adventurous new startup going or if you just want to get your affairs in order, it is crucial to have a legal professional in your corner who will spend the time to understand your goals and implement those goals in an effective way.

A San Luis Obispo estate planning lawyer can provide the help you need with business and estate matters. Toews Bio & Abram, Inc. is a client-focused law firm concentrating on providing trusted and superior legal services in relation to estate planning, business transaction, probate and estate settlements. Our services include offering assistance to businesses and non-profit organizations , as well as providing tax planning related to our areas of practice. Our mission is to provide clients with the best service available at a competitive price in each of our specialty practice areas.

The partners of Toews Bio & Abram, Inc. are certified by the State Bar of California as Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law specialists.

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Practice Areas

ESTATE PLANNING, PROBATE AND BUSINESS LAW

Our Estate Planning Services

We offer comprehensive estate planning services that include preparation of trusts, wills, powers of attorney, health care directives, property agreements, transfer documents, beneficiary designations and other documents, the nature and design of which depend on the size of the estate and the nature and location of its assets as required.

Plans offered range from simple trusts for clients of modest means to complex plans appropriate for large estates.

Since the objectives of each plan are comprehensive, our approach to documentation is comprehensive as well – when we prepare an estate plan, we review titles and beneficiary designations for each and every asset, and update these as appropriate to be sure that the entire plan works and that every asset passes to the client’s intended beneficiaries in an efficient manner.

The entire process from start to finish is comprised of the initial consultation, preparation of the preliminary drafts, client review, revisions, secondary meetings, if necessary, execution, recordation then copies of all documents are provided to the client in a personal, inscribed binder.

While the features of each plan are different, there are certain things we do every time for every client:

We charge for most estate plans on a flat or estimated fee basis, and we don’t charge for the initial interview. Also, we put each plan on a schedule. This way, you know what the plan will cost before you order it, and you know when you will get it – no excuses.
We do a short summary of your plan that tells you in plain language what your plan provides – who gets what (and when), who is going to act as executor/trustee, who is going to be the health care agent, and so on. Our goal is to make sure that you understand it. If you don’t, we don’t want you to sign it.
We make sure that your plan covers all of your assets, not just those that would be placed in a trust or disposed of by will. So, for example, we look at the beneficiary designations on your IRAs and 401(k) accounts, your insurance policies, annuities, pay-on-death accounts, and joint tenancy assets so that all of your assets, regardless of how held, pass to your beneficiaries in a coordinated and cost-effective manner.
We provide free document custody service after the estate plan is signed. Your documents are imaged for electronic storage in our system, the paper originals are lodged in our fire-rated files, and you get a copy of everything for your records. After all, what good are estate planning documents if your executor can’t find them when the time comes?

We believe that the end result of a good estate plan is peace of mind – yours. Our San Luis Obispo estate planning attorneys do their best to be sure that every plan we deliver, regardless of its size or complexity, meets that goal.

Meet Our team

We at Toews Bio & Abram, Inc. have a goal of being the best estate planning and administration attorneys in San Luis Obispo, providing our clients with superior representation in matters involving estate planning, tax planning, living wills, probate or business transactions and law that often are intertwined in a person’s estate.

J. Christopher Toews

J. Christopher Toews began his legal career in 1968 when he moved to New York City and worked at a few firms over the next decade. A graduate of the University of Southern California School of Law, Chris has worked in a wide range of legal fields including business law, estate planning, non-profit, probate and taxation.

He returned to his native California in 1983 and has been in private practice since 1984. In addition to his extensive work and experience as a lawyer, Chris has written articles for the American Bar Association, the “Trusts and Estates Quarterly,” and lectures on business, estate planning and tax issues.

Shannon M. Bio

A native of San Luis Obispo, Shannon M. Bio obtained her law degree from the Santa Barbara College of Law. She was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2011. Before attending law school, she had extensive experience in the field of law. She has worked as a law clerk, an assistant private investigator, and as a paralegal.

After obtaining her law degree and being admitted to the State Bar, she became an attorney with Frederick Law Firm and worked on a wide variety of different cases. Shannon joined Toews Bio & Abram, Inc. in September of 2013 and has focused mainly on estate planning and trust administration.

Curtis V. Abram

Curtis V. Abram grew up in San Luis Obispo. After graduating from San Luis Obispo High School in 2007, Curtis attended Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts where he earned a B.A. in both Business Management and English Communication. Following his return to California, Curtis earned his law degree from the University of San Diego School of Law, graduating magna cum laude in 2015 with election to The Order of the Coif and The Order of the Barristers.

Shane R. Kennedy

Shane R. Kennedy was born and raised in San Luis Obispo. He graduated from San Luis Obispo High School in 2009, and California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo in 2014. He earned his law degree from Western State College of Law in Irvine, California, graduating magna cum laude in 2019. While in law school, Shane was elected as the ABA Media Alerts Editor of the Law Review, served as Vice-President of the Business Law Association, interned with a general counsel of an international corporation, and studied international intellectual property law at University College Dublin in Ireland during the Summer of 2018.

Estate Planning — Wills and Trusts

Why Do I Need an Estate Plan?

Knowing that your estate and your wishes are protected by legal experts specializing in estate planning in San Luis Obispo can give you peace of mind. A properly designed estate plan should provide you with the documents needed to:

Avoid a prolonged, unnecessary court action (probate) to have your assets transferred in an effective and efficient manner to the person(s) or charities of your choice;
Make sure the person(s) you most trust are named to handle your health and finances in the event you are incapacitated or following your demise;
Provide those persons with flexibility not allowed in a probate action; and
Make sure your assets are transferred according to your wishes and not those of the state.

What is Included in an Estate Plan?

Not only will you receive a trust that is tailored to your specific needs by attorneys specializing in estate planning in San Luis Obispo, but you will also receive the appropriate Powers of Attorney for the management of finances and your health care needs and a detailed review of your assets to make sure your plan covers all of your personal and real property, not just those that would be placed in a trust.

For example, we look at the beneficiary designations on your IRAs and 401(k) accounts, your insurance policies, annuities, pay-on-death accounts, and joint tenancy assets so that all of your assets, regardless of how held, pass to your beneficiaries in a coordinated and cost-effective manner.

Toews Bio & Abram, Inc. provides assistance and detailed instruction in the transferring and retitling of assets as well as the preparation of deeds and assignments to your trust to make sure the title to all assets is properly held in your trust.

How Long Does Preparing an Estate Plan Take?

Drafts of estate plans are usually provided to our clients within 10 business days (or sooner if there is urgency) after being hired. After our clients review their drafts and any changes are made, a signing can usually be scheduled as quickly as their schedules allow.

How Much Does Preparing an Estate Plan Cost?

We do not charge for the initial interview and at the end of your first meeting, our attorneys will provide you with a flat or estimated fee for most estate plans.

A typical estate plan for a married couple which requires a trust will cost around $3,000. The estimate covers (1) preparation of a joint revocable trust, (2) preparation of wills, durable powers of attorney and advance health care directives, (3) review of beneficiary designations on retirement accounts, insurance and other assets that will or may pass outside of the trust and outside of the probate estate, and (4) any transfer documentation (deeds, assignments, etc.) which are necessary to complete the funding of the revocable trust. We accept all major credit cards and do not bill you until after you have been provided with drafts of your documents.

To learn more about our approach to estate plan design, please read J. Christopher Toews’ article “Client Driven Estate Planning” published by the State Bar of California, Trusts and Estates Quarterly (Summer 2003) Click here to download article

Reach Out to a San Luis Obispo Estate Planning Attorney Today

It can be challenging to identify your specific needs, goals, and wishes in estate planning, and drafting these documents requires extensive knowledge of the relevant state laws. This is where an experienced San Luis Obispo estate planning lawyer comes in.

Our team at Toews Bio & Abram, Inc. is ready to help you identify your needs, goals, suggest possible solutions, and design a plan to protect your legacy. To learn more about your estate planning options, give us a call today and set up your consultation with one of our certified specialists.

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Suite 3
San Luis Obispo , CA 93401

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San Luis Obispo Estate Planning Lawyers