A new baby, or kids at home
Name who raises them, and who looks after their money until they’re grown. Without a will, a court chooses. The will plan covers it.
Wills and trusts for Charlottesville families.
Most are done in about four weeks, for a flat fee you see in writing first. The first call is free, and you don’t need to bring anything.
- Estate planning and probate. Nothing else.
- Practicing estate law since 1997
- A callback within one business day
It usually starts with one of these.
A second marriage, or children from an earlier one
Without a will, your spouse gets a third and your children get two thirds, house included (Va. Code § 64.2-200). A will lets you set the shares yourself.
Helping a parent
A power of attorney and a medical directive, signed while they still can, so you can pay their bills and talk to their doctors. We’ll meet at their kitchen table if getting out is hard.
Someone in your family has died
We handle probate from the first court filing to the last check. You don’t need the paperwork in order before you call. One meeting, then a flat fee for the whole job.
Without a will, Virginia decides. Here’s what it decides for you.
Change any part of the sentence and the answer changes with it. It follows Va. Code § 64.2-200, simplified for common families.
I’m . I have , .
Showing results for: Married, two children, all with your spouse.
Without a will, Virginia gives everything to
- Your spouseeverything
And no one is named to raise your children. If no parent is left, a court decides.
Simplified from Va. Code § 64.2-200. Some families, such as one with a child who died before you or with half-siblings, follow other rules. General information as of October 2026, not advice for your situation.
About four weeks, from the first call to signed documents.
Week 1
A free 20-minute call
Tell us who’s in your family. You’ll hear which plan fits, and get its fee in writing.
Week 2
The planning meeting
One hour, here or by video. You make every decision, and we write them down in plain words on one page.
Week 3
Your drafts
Read them at home. We answer every question before anything is signed.
Week 4
The signing
45 minutes in our office, witnesses and notary included. You leave with the originals.
Two flat fees. You see them before you call.
The will plan
Most families: a house, some savings, kids or a dog.
$2,400one person$3,200a couple
Sample fees, demo figures.
- A will that names a guardian, and a backup, for your children
- A power of attorney, so someone can pay your bills if you can’t
- A medical directive, so someone can speak to your doctors
- A signed list of who gets the heirlooms
The trust plan
If you own property in another state, or want your estate kept private and out of probate.
$4,200one person$5,400a couple
Sample fees, demo figures.
- Everything in the will plan
- A revocable living trust that passes things on without probate
- A backup will that moves anything left out into the trust
- A new deed moving the house into the trust
These prices hold for 90 days. Recording and court costs are extra, passed through at cost, and you see each amount before you pay. Nothing is billed by the hour.
The three people who’ll answer your call.
Ingrid Lindqvist
Founder, attorney
Runs every planning meeting and reads every draft before you see it.
Desmond Pell
Partner, attorney
Handles trusts, deeds and the estates families bring us after a death.
Hannah Greer
Paralegal and signing coordinator
Answers the phone, runs the signings and makes sure every account gets moved.
What people ask on the first call.
- Do I need a will or a trust?
- Most families need a will. A trust makes sense if you own property in another state, or want your estate kept private and out of probate. We’ll tell you which on the first call, and why.
- What does it cost?
- A flat fee, in writing before you decide. The will plan is $2,400 for one person or $3,200 for a couple. The trust plan is $4,200 or $5,400. Court and recording costs are extra, at cost, and you see them first. (Sample fees.)
- How long does it take?
- About four weeks from the first call to signing. A trust plan takes about six, because the house gets a new deed.
- Our family is complicated. Is that a problem?
- Usually not. Second marriages, a child with special needs, property in another state: we’ll say on the first call whether we’re the right fit, and who to see if we’re not.
- Can you come to us?
- Yes. If getting to our office is hard, we’ll meet at your home, or a parent’s.
Start with a 20‑minute call. It’s free.
You’ll know which plan fits and what it costs before you hang up. If we’re not the right fit, we’ll tell you who is.