“When You Want a Lawyer That You Can Understand . . .”

Bonnie Wittenburg’s primary focus is estate planning (Wills, Trusts, Health Care Directives, Powers of Attorney), probate, and trust administration.

Although drafting legal documents is important, Bonnie’s primary value to her clients is her counseling regarding Wills, Trusts, probate and other estate planning and estate administration topics and issues. Bonnie’s knowledge comes from her legal and business education, but also from her life and work experiences. Bonnie will listen to you, think through your existing or potential problem, and then help you choose a strategy.

When there’s no estate plan, or a badly drafted or outdated estate plan, the financial costs can be high. Bonnie knows of cases where the lack of an adequate estate plan resulted in legal fees and costs that ranged from roughly $10,000 to $40,000 for the transfer of assets after a death. And, those are just the dollar costs of poor planning! There’s also a big emotional cost to family relationships when plans are non-existent, not updated, or ill-conceived from the start.

Bonnie will explain your legal situation in plain English. She teaches Community Ed classes in various local communities.

First and foremost, Bonnie treats her clients as she would want to be treated if she were you and facing the same circumstances that you are facing. For example, Bonnie:

• Listens, because she wants to know your story . . . i.e. your worries, triumphs, questions, and goals.
• Provides counseling; not just documents.
• Timely completes the estate plan that you’ve agreed upon in consultation with her.
• Helps you settle the estate of a loved one whether through probate or administration of a trust.
• Educates clients on the legal process.
• Returns phone calls and e-mails promptly.
• Offers a flat fee when the scope of the assignment is determinable, which is typical with most estate plans. Wittenburg Law requires an hourly fee when the scope of the assignment and the time involved is not readily discernable, such as with probate and trust administrations.
• Has an open door policy with her estate planning clients such that they can ask her a brief question at any time  — without an additional charge — about the Will, Trust or related estate plan document prepared earlier for the client by Wittenburg Law.
• Provides clients with a cover letter outlining (1) certain estate planning basics and (2) a broad overview of the client’s estate plan as prepared by Wittenburg Law.
• When applicable, provides a to-do list of follow-up items that her client can handle himself or herself without incurring additional legal fees.

Estate Planning: Estate planning is as much about your family and other loved ones as it is about you and your death. If you die without an estate plan, or you have an ill-prepared plan, you may burden your family with a big mess.

A well-designed plan, updated as your circumstances change, provides you with peace of mind in knowing that you did the best that you could for your loved ones. Similarly, your family is relieved that they know what you wanted.

Probate: Probate isn’t the onerous process in Minnesota that it is in some states, but Bonnie helps her clients avoid probate because doing so typically saves her clients time and money. When a probate court action is required, Bonnie works side-by-side with the Personal Representative (a/k/a executor) of the estate to settle the deceased’s affairs as efficiently as possible given the circumstances.

Trust Administration: Trusts are typically administered by the Trustee without court involvement. Bonnie provides counsel to the trustee.