PROUDLY SERVING CENTRAL VIRGINIA FOR GENERATIONS SPECIALIZING IN ESTATE PLANNING

Thinking about estate planning? It’s not something to try at home! Davies & Davies specializes in estate planning and has been serving families in Central Virginia since 1951. HOME publisher Trish Roth sat down with attorneys Peter Davies and Jake Snow to learn more about what makes their law firm unique.

TRISH: PETER, A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT THINK A WILL AND AN ESTATE PLAN ARE THE SAME THING, BUT THEY’RE NOT. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Peter: An “estate plan” means different things to different people. It could be tax planning for wealthy individuals. Or it could mean nominating a guardian for minor children of clients just getting started in their professional lives. At a minimum, I think an estate plan means a power of attorney, a medical directive, a will or revocable living trust and a review of account titling and beneficiary designations.

TRISH: WHEN SHOULD SOMEONE BE THINKING ABOUT AN ESTATE PLAN?

Jake: Think about it (and act on it!) after any significant life event — a marriage, a divorce, a first child, a noteworthy uptick in financial net worth. If you already have an estate plan and have had no significant life events, review the documents around every three years or so. There’s no magic number, but it’s important to make sure there have not been substantive changes in the law.

TRISH: WHY IS ESTATE PLANNING NOT A “DO-IT-YOURSELF” PROJECT?

Peter: A bad will can be worse than no will at all. A will can transfer your home, your life’s savings and even your children which is why it should be done correctly. Experience goes a long way. There’s a reason we don’t cut our own hair; we rely on professionals. Estate planning and administration is 100% of our firm’s practice; it’s what we specialize in. We stay current on new laws and focus our worries on a client’s estate plan so they don’t have to worry about whether it was done correctly.

TRISH: WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CONCERN YOU HEAR FROM YOUR CLIENTS?

Probably the biggest concern is that people want to make things easier for their loved ones once they’re gone. We hear that and take it to heart. It’s important to us, too.

TRISH: YOUR CLIENTS REALLY APPRECIATE THE PERSONALIZED SERVICE THEY RECEIVE FROM DAVIES & DAVIES. WHAT ELSE MAKES YOU STAND OUT?

Jake: In addition to appreciating the value in seeing a specialist, I think people deserve an accessible lawyer. We don’t screen phone calls. I’m very proud of our turnaround time for documents, not making people wait to get their drafts. We see our clients on time. We try to treat people the way we want to be treated. The Golden Rule, I suppose.

TRISH: WHAT’S ONE THING EVERYONE NEEDS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN IT COMES TO ESTATE PLANNING?

Peter: Find an attorney who is a good fit for you. This is an important undertaking, and trust matters.