Estate Planning · Wills & Trusts · Probate · Elder Law · Serving [Your City] families since 1998
Three generations of a family at home

Estate Planning · [Your City]

Plans that protect
the people you love.

Wills, trusts, and elder-law counsel grounded in 25 years of family practice — for the moments that matter most.

Schedule a Planning Conversation

I.

Listen

We start with a conversation about your family, your assets, and what matters most to you.

II.

Plan

We design a plan tailored to your circumstances — not a template, not a kit.

III.

Protect

We document, sign, and review every few years so your plan keeps protecting them — not just today, but for decades.

ACTEC Member
Super Lawyers · Estate Planning
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
[State] Bar · Trusts & Estates Section

Services

A practice built around your family.

From a first will at 35 to a comprehensive trust at 65, the right plan grows with your life.

Wills & Trusts

Foundational documents that direct what happens to your estate — and who cares for your children.

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Revocable Living Trusts

Avoid probate, keep your affairs private, and provide for incapacity — all while staying in control during your lifetime.

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Powers of Attorney

Designate who speaks for you — financially and medically — when you cannot speak for yourself.

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Probate Administration

Steady, compassionate guidance through court administration after a loved one's passing.

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Elder Law & Medicaid Planning

Protecting assets and dignity through long-term care decisions — including Medicaid eligibility planning.

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Special Needs Planning

Trusts and structures that provide for a loved one with disabilities without disrupting essential benefits.

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Eleanor Haverford, Esq.

Eleanor Haverford, Esq. · Founding Attorney

Meet Eleanor

I'm not here to sell you a document. I'm here to help your family avoid heartache.

I've practiced estate planning for 25 years, in the same town, with many of the same families across two and three generations. The work is intimate. It's about love, written down.

I won't sell you a kit you could buy online. What I do is sit with you for an hour, learn about your family, and design something that holds up — not just on paper, but in real life, when it's needed.

And then we stay in touch. Plans aren't files in a cabinet. They live alongside your family — through marriages, births, illnesses, retirements — and they need to grow with you.

  • · J.D., [Law School]
  • · LL.M. in Taxation, [University]
  • · Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
  • · [State] Bar — admitted 1998
"Estate planning is the most personal kind of law I could practice. It's about love, written down."

Why plan now

If any of these are true,
now is the right time.

If you have young children…

A guardianship designation is the single most important reason to write a will. Without one, the court decides — and that's a hard place to leave your family.

If you have aging parents…

Powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and Medicaid planning open more options the earlier they're in place. Waiting until a crisis narrows the choices.

If you've recently retired…

Beneficiary designations, trust funding, and tax-aware withdrawal planning all change in retirement. A review now can save your heirs significant cost and confusion later.

What to expect

A simple, considered process.

1

Initial Conversation

A 60-minute conversation, with no fee. We talk about your family, your assets, and the outcomes that matter to you.

2

Plan Design

I design a plan tailored to your goals — not a template — and walk you through it together.

3

Drafting & Signing

Documents are drafted, refined, and signed in the office with witnesses and notary.

4

Ongoing Review

Every three years — or whenever life changes (a marriage, a birth, a move, a loss) — we sit down again.

From clients

"Eleanor sees the whole family — not the file."

"Eleanor walked us through a question we'd been avoiding for years. We left her office with a plan, and a real sense of peace."

— Margaret & Tom L. · client since 2018

"When my mother needed long-term care, Eleanor's planning gave us options we wouldn't have had otherwise. She made an impossible time bearable."

— Daniel S. · client since 2015

"Three generations of our family work with Eleanor. There's no higher recommendation I can give."

Resources

Reading that may help.

View all articles →

Estate Planning

When should I update my will?

Life changes — and so should your plan. The five moments that should always trigger a review.

Read article →

Wills & Trusts

Will vs. Trust: which do I actually need?

A plain-English explanation of the difference, and why most families need a careful blend of both.

Read article →

Elder Law

Medicaid's five-year lookback, explained.

Why the timing of asset transfers matters — and what it means for long-term care planning.

Read article →

FAQ

Common questions.

Do I really need an estate plan if I don't have much?▾

Yes. Estate planning isn't just about money — it's about who makes medical decisions for you, who raises your children, and who handles your affairs if you're incapacitated. Those questions matter at every income level.

How much does an estate plan cost?▾

For most families, a complete plan (will, trust, powers of attorney, healthcare directive) ranges from $2,500 to $5,500 depending on complexity. We discuss fees openly at the first meeting before any work begins.

How is a trust different from a will?▾

A will directs distribution after death and goes through probate. A revocable trust holds assets during your lifetime and avoids probate at death — keeping things faster, more private, and often less expensive for your heirs.

What is "probate" and is it really that bad?▾

Probate is the court-supervised process of administering a will. It's not always burdensome, but it is public, slow (often 9–18 months), and costs money. For many families, avoiding it is worth the upfront planning.

When should I update my plan?▾

Whenever there's a major life event — marriage, divorce, birth, death, a significant change in assets, or a move to another state — and otherwise every three to five years.

Can I do this online instead?▾

You can — but online forms can't ask the questions that change the plan. Most "DIY" plans miss tax-aware structures, beneficiary coordination, and the specific [State] rules that determine whether the documents actually work when needed.

Let's start with a conversation.

No pressure. No commitment. Just a chance to talk through what matters most to your family.

Schedule a Conversation Call (555) 010-3300

Get in touch

Tell me a little about your family.

I'll respond within one business day. If you'd rather call, the office is open Monday through Thursday.

Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship.

[Your City] Office

By appointment.

Estate planning is personal work and we don't take walk-ins. Every consultation is scheduled and held in confidence.

Address

42 Linden Avenue, Suite 3
[Your City], [State] 00000

Phone

(555) 010-3300

Hours

Monday–Thursday, 9 AM – 4 PM
Evenings by appointment

Email

eleanor@haverfordestate.com