(ALSO AVAILABLE IN VIDEOTAPE; 25 MINUTES IN LENGTH)
Free With Initial Consultation
Available for Purchase
Back in 1994, when I first started
in my full time estate planning and living trust practice, people would come
to the initial consultation with very little knowledge of estate planning
and living trusts. This lack of knowledge made them nervous and
insecure. I would usually spend 15 - 30 minutes helping
them feel comfortable and secure with the process.
THE
FIRST LIVING TRUST VIDEOTAPE - 1996
Later, in 1996, I found a company in
San Diego who sold an estate planning videotape called
"Estate Planning Strategies". This video was helpful
because it gave my clients a "video" introduction to living trusts.
I sent the videotape to the client as a "freebie".
I still send the present version of
my DVD as a "freebie" to clients after they have made an appointment for an
initial consultation. People who have
viewed the DVD come into the initial consultation with much more knowledge and
confidence.
As time passed, I noticed that
the "Estate Planning Strategies" video was getting more and more out
of date. I also felt that I could do a better job of
presenting the material.
THE
TWO MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPTS:
I wanted to concentrate on the two
most important estate planning concepts, which are: 1) unless you
have a revocable living trust, your family will have to pay
tens of thousands of dollars in expensive probate
fees, and 2) after your death, the government can tax all
your assets, including your life insurance.
It is important that my clients know
that a
will does not avoid probate. This is the basic
difference between a will and a trust. This most
important concept
applies to all my clients and especially the ones who own
their own homes.
Next in importance is the fact that
your life insurance will be subject to federal estate tax
after your death. Most people are told that there is
never any tax on life insurance. While it is true that
life insurance is not normally subject to
income tax, life
insurance is
subject to federal estate tax.
GETTING STARTED WITH MY FIRST VIDEO - 2000
A friend of mine from high school,
named Russ, owns a video production business. I talked
to him about the possibility of videotaping a typical
interview. We would use the videotape of this initial
interview as a blueprint for a new video which I would give
to potential clients.
He suggested that I do a trust for
him and his wife and that we videotape the initial
interview.
I went out to the house and we set up
the video camera. To my surprise, Russ and Cheryl asked me every single
question I could possibly be asked. While a normal
interview lasts one hour to one and a half hours, this interview lasted 3
hours !
After taping the interview, I hired a
court reporter to transcribe the interview and I gave the
transcription to Russ. He came up with an initial
script. We re-wrote the script six or seven times
before we were satisfied with it.
SHOOTING THE VIDEO
When we finally sat down to shoot the
video, I knew the script well enough to film every segment
in either one or two takes. I found out that I make a
very good announcer, but I also found out that I'm not an
actor.
Because I can't act, the video
contained very little humor
or emotion. The final video product focused primarily on
education, not entertainment. The video did not "sell" the concept of a living trust, it just gives
helpful information.
The video does have some entertainment
value, but it has much more educational value.
The initial consultation at my office has a
lot more entertainment value than the video or DVD. I
have built up a lot of jokes
over the years, and some of them actually work.
The DVD was designed to make sure that people were
sufficiently educated before they came in for the initial
consultation.
A pre - educated client turns out to be a better client.
They understand the process, make better decisions and have
peace of mind after they have finished.
Some clients have watched the video
and quickly figured out exactly what type of trust they needed.
However, one client had to watch the video five times before they
understood the concepts.
SWITCHING TO DVD
- 2005:
As the years went by, more and more
potential clients were making the switch to DVD as a
dominant movie format. In 2005, we upgraded the
videotape to DVD and
made the packaging of the DVD more attractive. We also completed
a 40 page companion Mini - Book. The Mini - Book was printed
on small pages with large type and short chapters. The
Mini - Book is very easy to read and refer to.
We also had to update some of the
important estate planning numbers.
The statutory probate fees had increased since the
year 2000. We inserted a scene which shows that the
probate fees are now approximately 4% of the fair market value
of your probate estate plus $6,000.
On a $400,000
house, the full probate fees are now approximately $22,000.
If you do not have a living trust,
and your house goes through probate, your family or
beneficiaries would have to pay
those fees.
We also inserted an alert regarding
Federal Estate Taxes. The bad news has always been that the
federal government taxes your assets at your death. The good
news is that you can now shelter more assets from that tax. In 2008,
an individual can shelter as much as $2,000,000
in assets from federal estate tax. With the right trust, a
married couple can shelter up to $4,000,000 in assets from
federal estate tax.
The original video from the year 2000
had the old numbers which were much lower. We wanted
to upgrade.
THE LIVING TRUST PACKAGE:
At this point in time, we have the
updated DVD, the companion Mini - Book and instructions for
the use of an
online living trust worksheet.
When you order the complete package,
we give you the Mini - Book, the updated DVD and special
instructions for the online
living trust worksheet. This worksheet website helps you select your choices for
Executor, Guardian, Successor Trustee, and other roles you
need for your estate plan.
You have a number of options once you
reach the website: 1) you can print out the Living Trust
Worksheet and fill in the information for
your own private use; 2) you can fill in the information
online, and print the completed form; or 3) you can fill out
the information and send it to me prior to the initial
consultation.
Once you have access to the
website, you can do whatever you want.
Even if you consult with an attorney
other than myself, making the choices ahead of time will
help you with your initial consultation, no matter who you
meet with.
USE
ALL YOUR SENSES TO LEARN:
Most people learn better using all
their senses. The DVD teaches you through
seeing and hearing. Reading the
Mini - Book uses a different media to learn about living trusts. Both the DVD
and the Mini Book stress simplicity, so that you can learn the basic concepts
easily and quickly.
Most all
of my clients have found the DVD incredibly helpful
in learning the basics of wills, living trusts and estate
planning.
While watching the DVD, you
will learn what's better for you - a will or a living trust.
You will see examples of people just like you who have set up living trusts.
My clients have saved hundreds of thousands of
dollars, and some of them, millions of dollars, in probate fees and
federal estate taxes.
If you live in Los Angeles County,
you can obtain a free living trust DVD by making an
appointment with my office at 818-244-1894.
Los Angeles County
residents can purchase the DVD plus the Mini Book with
Website Worksheet Access for $14.95.
If
you live outside Los Angeles County, you can purchase the
DVD and Mini Book with Website Worksheet access for $24.95.
.
FREE
LIVING TRUST DVD:
To obtain your free copy, simply call our office
in Glendale at
(818) 244-1894 and set up an
appointment for an initial consultation.
If you don't reach us directly,
please leave a message with your name,
address and telephone number. We will get right back to you
and schedule the appointment. Normally, we schedule
two to three weeks ahead so that you get a chance to view the
DVD.
All you need to bring with you to the
initial consultation is the property tax bill for your home
or any other pieces of real estate. We also like you
to bring your checkbook just in case you decide to do
business.
The free DVD will educate you as
to whether you need a will or a
living trust. If you need a living trust, the DVD will help you understand what type of living trust you
need.
Normally, you will need either a simple
trust or a complex trust, and this is based on your net worth
plus
the amount of life insurance you own.
PURCHASE
LIVING TRUST DVD + MINI - BOOK:
Some people are not ready to set
up an appointment. If you prefer to learn on
your own, you can purchase the DVD + Mini - Book +
Worksheet Website, with no strings attached.
When you purchase the DVD, we include
the 40 page Mini - Book entitled "How to Disinherit
the IRS".
You also receive instructions and online access to a
special website which contains a living trust worksheet. You
can use this website to help prepare for the initial
consultation with whatever attorney you choose.
We guarantee that you will be
satisfied with both the DVD and the Mini - Book. If you are
not satisfied with the DVD and the Mini - Book, just return them,
and we will refund the full purchase price.
SEND A CHECK:
ORDER THE DVD + MINI - BOOK + WEBSITE ACCESS:
(Los Angeles County Residents) To
order directly, just print this
page, fill out the information and send the completed form to us
with a check for $14.95. Mail the check and
completed form to:
William
G. Wais
Law Offices of William G. Wais
100 W. Broadway, Suite 900
Glendale, California 91210
The check for $14.95 covers all shipping and handling
costs. Please make the check payable to
"William G. Wais".
If you reside outside Los
Angeles County, please enclose a check for $24.95 for the
complete package.
I WANT TO ORDER THE LIVING
TRUST DVD + MINI - BOOK+ WORKSHEET WEBSITE ACCESS.
