OUR
SERVICES
ESTATE PLANNING
We take you through our unique, comprehensive, and enjoyable process to create a customized estate plan for you and your family. We focus on designing trusts that take the guesswork out of your true intentions. Advanced planning can help avoid a costly probate, provide for financial and medical management, and reduce the burden on your loved ones. We have hourly and flat fee options for new clients with existing plans.
PROBATE / ESTATES
We guide you through the probate court process from start to finish so you feel confident about fulfilling your duties as Executor or Administrator. We pride ourselves on being efficient and making it easy and understandable for you. We handle cases with decedents who died in any California county, as well as nonresident decedents who owned property in California. Read more
FLAT FEE PACKAGES
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Living Trust
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Will
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Power of Attorney
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Guardian Nomination
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Health Care Directive
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HIPAA Authorization
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EP Design Summary
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Unlimited attorney time
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Amendments
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Real Property Deeds
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And much more
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
We help you (as a surviving spouse, child, relative, friend, or other trustee) find your bearings after the death of a loved one. We guide you through the steps required to administer a trust, transfer assets, and solve any problems that arise, such as assets left out of a trust or an outdated trust. When necessary, we petition the court to obtain excellent and cost-efficient outcomes for our clients.
OUR APPROACH
We are passionate about protecting your loved ones.
Estate Planning
Estate planning is a meaningful personal journey through often uncharted waters. We provide sensitive counsel, decades of planning and post-death administration experience, and legal expertise. We explore your unique concerns, wishes, and family dynamics with empathy and warmth. We take a comprehensive, practical, and tailored approach to the estate planning process.
We are comprehensive. We analyze the depth of your situation, including the effects of property tax, income tax, estate and gift tax, and property ownership laws, in order to make sure your plan is effective and has no unintended consequences.
We are practical and thoughtful. Unique to our firm, is our additional step of creating a user-friendly Estate Plan Design Summary that is an invaluable tool and resource for the accurate design of your plan and for efficiently reviewing and updating your plan in the future.
We specialize in the ability to expertly tailor your plan. This is important to effectively express your true intentions if you become incapacitated and when you pass away. Our longer process and additional time spent together allows us to understand your unique perspective on life, and on death, as we develop a long-lasting professional relationship together.
We also work as a team with your financial advisors to make sure your plan is successful. After going through our highly organized, easy, and enjoyable process together, you will feel confident and satisfied that you have done your very best to make sure the people you love will be taken care of when you are not there to do so.
Our approach coupled with our extraordinary package of services called Red Box Services, which provides a great value on a flat fee basis, makes our firm extraordinary and unique. There is no better choice for achieving the peace of mind that you deserve.
Trust and Estate Administration / Probate
And when the time comes, or if it already has, we are here to help you or your loved ones gather strength and move forward after a death or an incapacitating event. We approach our trust and estate administration matters with compassion and patience while focusing on making things easier and understandable for you.
We approach probate cases the same way, but focus on expediting the lengthy court process as much as possible to bring closure to loved ones more quickly. This often involves extra appearances in court which is one part of our extraordinary probate services. Contact us to discuss your situation. See a Checklist of information needed or complete a Trust Admin or Probate / Estate Admin Questionnaire here.
OUR ESTATE PLANNING PROCESS
To plan right requires a process allowing an abundance of thought and time.
The estate planning process, from the initial meeting to the signing of your plan (Exploration Phase, Design Phase, and Implementation Phase), usually takes about 2-4 months to properly implement a successful estate plan. Timing depends on your availability and decision-making. With our flat fee package called Red Box Services, you can take as much time as you need to make thoughtful decisions. For a detailed walk-through of our process, click here.
And when the time comes, our firm will be here to assist your loved ones with administering your trust and estate. We are committed to developing and maintaining a long-lasting relationship with you and your family.
FOUR PHASES OF ESTATE PLANNING
NAME, TITLE
1
EXPLORE
We get to know you
and show you exactly how we can help you achieve true peace of mind.
You get to know us, discover what estate planning means for you, and see if we are a good fit. And if we are, you sign
an engagement agreement
and pay half of the
lower-end of the flat fee range quoted.
(2 hour mtg)
2
DESIGN
We explain all your options. We listen to your wishes
and concerns, and come to understand your perspective. We counsel you with
empathy and wisdom
to make practical decisions. We prepare our
exclusive, customized
Estate Plan Design Summary
for your review.
You make thoughtful
well-informed decisions in
a supportive environment and finalize your
EP Design Summary.
Take your time to be certain with our flat fee package.
(2 hour meeting(s), emails,and 30-60 min call)
3
IMPLEMENT
We expertly draft a comprehensive tailor-made estate plan that expresses your true intentions.
We also prepare documents to transfer your home
and some of your other assets to the trust. We
help you coordinate your designated beneficiaries
for retirement accounts
and life insurance.
You meet with your attorney to review and sign
your estate plan. You fund your trust for success.
You achieve satisfaction
and peace of mind.
(2-3 hour mtg)
4
MAINTAIN
We provide advice and support (free the first year; hourly fee basis when you request it thereafter).
We help you ensure
your plan stays effective
as your life and the law changes.
You commit to making sure your plan succeeds.
You review your
EP Design Summary
when needed (and at least every 5 years) and update your plan every 10 years.
You achieve lasting
peace of mind.
RED BOX
SERVICES
A Unique Solution
We care about families, so we came up with the ideal way for you to protect yours. Red Box Services is our unique way of providing legal services. Red Box Services is a complete solution for your estate planning needs in a flat fee package.
Unlike any other firm, our Red Box Services includes the funding of your living trust as well as unlimited attorney consultation and amendments! The Red Box is the package that holds your total solution and comes with our guarantee of extraordinary quality, care and expertise.
Red Box Services is born from over 19 years of experience dealing with problematic estate plans after it is too late. We help avoid these pitfalls:
1. The estate plan does not properly reflect your true wishes.
2. The estate plan does not avoid probate.
3. The estate plan has not adapted to changes in your life or the law.
Our Red Box Services solves common problems that make other plans fail.
OUR ATTORNEYS
DARCEY L. WONG, J.D.,
LL.M. (Estate Planning)
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LL.M. in Estate Planning - University of Miami School of Law
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J.D. - University of Southern California Law School (USC Law)
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B.A. in Political Science - UCLA
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Attorney at Hanson Bridgett, et al
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Attorney at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Marmaro
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Judicial Law Clerk
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Member of CA State Bar, San Mateo County Bar Association, Palo Alto Bar Association, Peninsula Estate Planning Council, Asian American Bar Association
BRIANNON J.C. SIV, J.D.
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J.D. - University of San Francisco School of Law (USF)
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B.A. in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology - Saint Martin's College, Washington
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SF Probate Court Extern
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Member of CA State Bar, San Mateo County Bar Association
OUR FANS (CLIENTS)
Working with Darcey and Briannon on our living trust gave us confidence and comfort in knowing that our growing family would be taken care of in the years to come.
– Kristen E.
I was new to the idea of creating a trust and frankly didn't know what
I should be considering. Darcey is professional, knowledgeable, and efficient. She made us feel comfortable with the process
from start to finish and held our hands through the many choices that we had to make.
– N.K.
Darcey thoughtfully and patiently answered each of our questions and we couldn’t be more pleased with her efforts. I work with attorneys frequently and Darcey ranks with the very best. She’s methodical and precise and we feel highly confident that we are in the best possible hands. We recommend her and
her firm without reservation.
– Mark
They have shown the patience to understand my Uncle's wishes, and the flexibility to support him in the way that suits his style and persona.
– Vicky
When my father passed away last year, Darcey was there to help in the most respectful way and managed all the details for the administration of his Estate.
I highly recommend Darcey to guide your family.
– K. Lee
It is always a pleasure to interact with Darcey, whether that's in her office or long distance via email – she's so warm and engaging that it's actually fun to take care of business together. We have recommended Darcey to our friends and family.
– S.M. & M.B.
MAIN OFFICE / MAILING ADDRESS
Law Offices of Darcey L. Wong, P.C.
1900 S. Norfolk Street, Suite 350, San Mateo, CA 94403
Email: dwong@sfestatelawyer.com Website: www.sfestatelawyer.com
Tel: 650-578-0300 (Please leave a voice message.)
OFFICES AND HOURS
San Mateo (Main): 1900 S. Norfolk Street, Suite 350, San Mateo, CA 94403
San Francisco: 201 Spear Street, Suite 1100, San Francisco, CA 94105
Oakland: 1300 Clay Street, Suite 600, Oakland, CA 94612
Walnut Creek: 1990 N. California Blvd., 8th Floor, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
By Appointment Only - Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Send us a message - we would love to hear from you!
