A Compassionate Estate Planning Attorney in Franklin
As your estate planning attorney in Franklin, I offer a heartfelt and professional approach to securing your legacy. Gain a profound sense of calm knowing your loved ones are protected and your wishes are beautifully honored with a comprehensive and personalized plan.
It’s an act of love to take control of your future, ensuring that the people and causes you care about most are provided for, no matter what tomorrow brings. With a plan crafted just for you, you can rest easy, knowing you have given your family the gift of clarity and security. We strive to be the best at what we do, combining compassion with legal expertise.
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Does This Sound Familiar?
It’s completely normal to feel a bit overwhelmed when it comes to estate planning. Perhaps you’ve felt lost in the complexity of legal documents, unsure where to even begin.
Maybe you're a bit of a procrastinator, putting off these vital decisions because it feels uncomfortable to confront the future. I know the worry about family conflicts over inheritances or the deep anxiety about who would care for your children if the unthinkable were to happen.
Don't let these fears, or the (mistaken) belief that your estate is "too small" hold you back any longer. Your fears do not have to define your future. Instead of letting these anxieties paralyze you, let them be the motivation to take the first step towards a solution that provides true comfort and peace of mind.
How We Solve Estate Planning Challenges for Franklin Residents
At August Law PLLC, we understand that estate planning arises from a deep desire to protect what you love most. It’s about fulfilling your profound need for security and control over your legacy, leading to true peace of mind.
As a woman, a mother, and an estate planning attorney in Franklin, I recognize the unvoiced concerns that prompt you to seek guidance. I'm here to offer a guiding hand and a compassionate ear.
I believe that your legacy is more than just your assets—it's your story, your values, and the love you have for your family. My goal is to help you tell that story and protect it for generations to come.
My unique, client-centered approach provides a compassionate path forward. Our process begins with a little "homework" to help you gather your thoughts and organize your information.
Then, during our two-hour Life and Legacy Planning Session, we'll talk through every asset you have, compare the default Tennessee plan to your own wishes, and ensure you have a complete picture of your options.
We will then recommend a path—whether that’s a will or a trust—that best aligns with your deepest priorities and your budget. My approach empowers you to make an informed decision, addressing your concerns with expertise and genuine empathy. We'll explore how a will can be a simple, yet powerful, tool for asset distribution and guardianship, and how a trust can provide an added layer of privacy, control, and probate avoidance. It's about designing a plan that truly reflects your unique life and family dynamics, providing you with a high-quality, yet affordable solution.
Estate Planning Services We Offer
Will Preparation
This is your voice after you are gone, a foundational document that lovingly ensures your assets are distributed exactly as you wish and appoints the guardians you choose for your children. A will is a powerful and accessible tool for legally documenting and enforcing your final desires. It provides a clear roadmap for your loved ones, preventing uncertainty and potential disputes during a time of grief. We work closely with you to ensure your will is not only legally sound but also a true reflection of your heart and intentions. We believe in providing the best will preparation services for our Franklin clients.
Trust Preparation
Create a flexible legal arrangement to manage your assets, avoid the costly and public probate process, and provide for beneficiaries with greater privacy and control. A trust is an ideal solution for anyone who wants to ensure a swift and private transfer of assets, manage assets for minors or loved ones with special needs, or protect their assets from creditors. A trust is a sophisticated and powerful tool that can give you peace of mind now, knowing that your assets are being managed for your benefit and will pass to your beneficiaries smoothly and privately. We’ll help you understand the different types of trusts and how they can be used to meet your specific goals.
Incapacity Planning (Limited Plan)
Designed for individuals of all ages, including college students, this plan ensures trusted individuals can make financial and healthcare decisions for you if you cannot make your own decisions. It's about protecting your dignity and autonomy, making sure your voice is heard even when you cannot speak for yourself. This plan includes a financial power of attorney, living will, healthcare directive, and HIPAA release, providing a comprehensive safety net for you and your family. This is an essential part of any complete estate plan.
Existing Plan Review
If you have an existing estate plan, we offer a comprehensive 50-point review to assess its effectiveness and alignment with your current goals. This provides clarity on what aspects are still robust and what may need updating. We will carefully examine your existing documents to see if they are still relevant to your life and family. We do not amend other attorneys' work; this is a professional liability issue, and it's best to start over to ensure your plan is written to our standards and without defects. This gives you confidence that your plan is current and will work as intended.
Why Choose August Law PLLC for Your Estate Planning Attorney Needs
The Ultimate Gift of Peace
Imagine the deep comfort knowing your loved ones are protected and provided for, no matter what tomorrow brings. Our comprehensive estate planning ensures your family avoids the stress and uncertainty of probate, allowing them to focus on healing, not bureaucracy. This is the ultimate gift of peace you can give them.
It’s a profound act of care to take the time to create a plan that will minimize chaos and maximize peace during a difficult time. My goal is to help you leave a legacy of love and calm, not of legal confusion. My reputation as a top-rated professional is built on this commitment.
Your Wishes, Beautifully Honored
Your legacy is unique, and so are your heartfelt desires. We transform your intentions into legally binding documents, ensuring your assets are distributed exactly as you envision. With a proper plan, your healthcare preferences are also respected, giving you true control over your future. This means your voice will be heard, and your story will continue as you intend.
Whether you have specific instructions for a family heirloom or a desire to support a particular charity, we will make sure those wishes are documented and protected. Your values will live on through your plan.
A Guiding Hand Through Life's Big Decisions
You don't have to navigate these important decisions alone. We provide empathetic, clear guidance every step of the way, making complex legal processes simple and ensuring you feel confident and secure in the choices you make for yourself and your loved ones. This partnership ensures you have a trusted advisor by your side throughout your journey.
We will listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and walk you through every step of the process with compassion and patience. You can count on us to be your partner in this important work.
Our Simple 4-Step Process
Your Homework & Our First Chat
We'll start with a brief 15-minute phone call to see if we’re a good fit. If so, I'll send you some easy-to-follow homework to help you gather all your asset, beneficiary, and fiduciary information. This helps us get financially organized together, ensuring we have a complete picture of your estate from the very beginning. This step is designed to make the planning session as productive as possible.
The Life & Legacy Planning Session
We’ll sit down for a two-hour planning session to talk through everything. We'll discuss what’s important to you, what your default plan would be, and what your options are for creating a new will or trust. We will go through your assets, your family dynamics, your wishes for guardianship, and your healthcare preferences. This is a collaborative session where we work together to design a plan that is a perfect fit for your life.
Finalizing Your Plan
We will review each component of your plan with you, then formally sign and notarize the documents, making your wishes legally binding. If you have a Trust, we will go over how to ensure your assets are all owned the correct way.
Legacy Interview
If you have a Trust, we will go over your progress on retitling your assets. We will go over what to do with all your documents, including your medical directive and living will. We will discuss your guardians and ensure they know how to act if something happens to you. We will show you the fiduciary letters that will go out to ensure everyone participating in your planning knows the role for which they’ve been nominated and knows what to expect. Finally, we will conduct a legacy interview in order to pass down a story that may die when you’re gone, or the things you most love about your beneficiaries. This is the final step in the process, but it's not the end of our relationship. We are always here to help you with future updates and reviews as your life changes. We provide a free three-year review with all our plans.
What Our Franklin Customers Are Saying
"We had a wonderful experience working with Sara to create our living trust and kids protection plan. She made what could’ve been an overwhelming process feel incredibly clear and approachable. Sara took the time to answer all our questions, explain every detail, and guide us thoughtfully through each step. We truly appreciated her warmth, professionalism, and deep knowledge—highly recommend August Law to anyone looking for estate planning support."
– Maider Ithurbide
"There are not enough words in the English Language to express how grateful I am for August Law! You cannot go wrong putting your trust (no pun intended -lol) in August Law for all your estate planning needs! Everyone is amazing and extremely communicative. I am so grateful they helped me accomplish something I had been putting off for years. Thank you August Law!!"
– Stella Orzech
"Sara at August Law PLLC was truly instrumental in helping my wife and me with our estate planning. She took the time to clearly explain the benefits of creating a trust, which we ultimately chose to pursue. Throughout the process, Sara was knowledgeable, patient, and attentive to our needs. We are both extremely grateful for her guidance and professionalism, and we highly recommend her services to anyone seeking expert legal assistance."
– John D Waraksa
Areas We Serve
August Law PLLC serves clients across the broader Middle Tennessee region, including:
As a firm deeply rooted in Middle Tennessee, August Law PLLC is proud to serve the vibrant communities that make this area so unique. My office is conveniently located in Franklin, a town renowned for its charming Historic Downtown and the bustling Factory at Franklin, where families gather for events and local businesses thrive.
Just a short drive away, you’ll find significant historical treasures like the Carnton and Carter House Civil War battlefields, reminding us of the rich heritage that shapes our present. We also cherish the natural beauty and serene drives along the Natchez Trace Parkway, with its iconic Double Arch Bridge, and the rustic charm of Leiper's Fork Village, a testament to the area’s enduring character. We are not just legal professionals here; we are your neighbors, committed to protecting the futures of families who share and value this incredible community.
Common Questions About Our Estate Planning Services
What happens during the initial 15-minute phone call?
The initial 15-minute phone call is an opportunity to find out why you are thinking about estate planning now and if the next right step is to set up a planning session. We will ask you a few questions to get a sense of your needs and goals and we will provide some information about our process to see if it’s a good fit. It’s a chance for us to connect and decide if we want to move forward with a full planning session.
What is the purpose of the homework I receive?
The homework packet is a tool to get you financially organized and to ensure we are clear on all your assets, beneficiaries, and fiduciaries so we can help you in the next phase. This is a critical step in the process, as it allows us to gather all the necessary information before our planning session, so we can make the most of our time together.
What is the "Life and Legacy Planning Session"?
This is a two-hour meeting where we will talk through every asset you have, the default plan the state of Tennessee has for you (or what your current plan will or will not do for you), what will and won't go through probate, and your beneficiaries. We will spend some time getting to know you and your family dynamics, and some time understanding the legacy you are creating and how we may pass it down to your beneficiaries in a meaningful way. We will not be drafting documents in this session, but we will be creating a clear roadmap for your final plan.
Can you amend a will or trust prepared by another attorney?
No, I do not amend other attorneys' work. This is a professional liability issue, and it's best to start over to ensure your plan is written to our standards and without defects. By starting from scratch, we can guarantee that your new plan is comprehensive, up-to-date, and completely tailored to your current needs.
Why do you charge a reservation fee for the planning session?
We take a credit card form to reserve your two-hour session. You are only charged a $250 fee if you fail to show up or don't complete the homework. This ensures we are both ready to dedicate time to your legacy and that our time together is as productive as possible.
Do I have to do a will or a trust?
We will discuss what makes the most sense for you based on your assets, values, and family dynamics. The final decision is based on your priorities. A will is a great starting point for many, but a trust can offer additional benefits like privacy and probate avoidance. I will help you understand the pros and cons of each so you can make the best choice for your family.
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
You've read about the importance of securing your legacy and protecting your loved ones. Now, you have a clear path to that heartfelt peace of mind. The next step is a simple, no-obligation conversation to begin your journey together. Let's work together to create a plan that reflects your love and secures your family's future with our affordable services.
Contact Information
Have questions or ready to begin your will writing? Contact August Law PLLC!
August Law PLLC
August Law offers a full spectrum of estate planning services tailored to your individual needs and goals.