Wills, Trusts & Estates

I prefer to work with individuals, couples and families looking for thorough protection for themselves and their loved ones. I want to handle cases for people who recognize that the purpose of planning is not just to create documents, but to establish security for themselves and their loved ones through the documents produced.

• Life Insurance

• Power of Attorney
• Tax Planning

• Charitable Giving
• Charitable Trusts
• Drafting Trusts
• Drafting Wills
• Estate Administration
• Estate Planning
• Living Trusts
• Living Wills
• Probate
• Asset Protection
• Power of Attorney
• Business Succession Planning
• Special Needs Trust
• Supplemental Needs Trust
• Revocable Trust & Irrevocable Trust

MA, Dec 2004
Bar Number: 661000

CA, Dec 1989
Bar Number: 142995

This is not applicable.

Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association, Wealth Counsel (a national network of estate planning attorneys who share questions and experience), and the Greater Boston Business Council.

I attend numerous accredited continuing legal education seminars on specialized estate planning topics, and always exceed the amount of continuing education required by California (Massachusetts has no minimum requirement).

I am the co-author of "Creating an Environment Conducive to Diversity," a guide for employers on eliminating sexual orientation discrimination, published by the Bar Association of San Francisco.

Most often, I work with couples or individuals, and establish a complete set of documents to protect them and their loved ones in all areas of concern:

1. Medical decision-making through health care proxies, living wills, treatment directives, HIPAA releases, organ donation and hospital visitation forms.
2. Management of legal and financial matters during any period of incapacity through durable powers of attorney and living trusts.
3. Management and disposition of property after death through wills and living trusts.

I ensure the client has a thorough understanding of the provisions of his or her plan, and provide guidance where needed. In situations where tax planning is also a major consideration, I establish life insurance, charitable, or personal residence trusts to minimize taxes while also furthering the client's objectives.

1

Massachusetts and California

The firm was established in 2005 with the purpose of providing high-quality planning services for same-sex, unmarried and other non-traditional couples, blended families and individuals with unique needs. We work with clients who may find that other practitioners aren't as suited to their needs. We also work with "traditional" families as well. The driving objective of our practice is to create ongoing legal security for clients and their loved ones in a caring, personalized environment. While we incorporate tax minimization strategies whenever necessary, we are equally attuned to strengthening personal relationships and establishing broad security for clients and their loved ones.

Kraft Law Offices provides comprehensive counseling-based estate planning services for a broad range of clients, tailoring our approach to the specific issues faced by each person we work with. Our focus is on creating security and peace of mind for our clients and their loved ones, recognizing that financial considerations are only one component of overall security. We work both with clients who have substantial wealth, for whom minimizing gift and estate taxes is an important goal, and those of more modest means.

I have worked with the nationally-recognized law firms Ropes and Gray in Boston and Thelen, Marin, Johnson and Bridges in San Francisco. I also have substantial business background, creating systems for quantitative marketing analysis and strategic planning at Pfizer in New York. I also implemented risk reduction policies and internet payment systems at Wells Fargo in San Francisco.

I conduct informational seminars for community, employee, alumni and other groups, to educate people on the status of their legal rights and why estate planning is important for everyone, not just older people or people with great wealth.

Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Earlier and later hours are available by appointment.

Yes

For standard, foundational estate planning work, I generally charge a fixed price, but not the same price for every client. The amount of the fee depends on the complexity of your specific situation and the work I anticipate will be involved. This is determined from information gathered in the initial consultation, when we reach a consensus on the high-level strategy and issues to be addressed. I use this approach so clients feel free to take the time they need to consider their options.

$225 per hour.

In most situations, I provide no-cost, no-obligation initial consultations. I do, however, reserve the right to charge for the initial consultation in situations which warrant it. Generally, the fee for the initial consultation can be applied to the final billing if you do engage me to represent you.

I use retainers only on work billed hourly. The amount of the retainer depends on the work to be performed and the specifics of the individual matter. For work billed with a flat fee, I generally request half the fee at the beginning of representation, and the remainder when documents are signed.