Do I need a will if I have a trust?

Yes. Even with a living trust, you need a pour-over will to capture any assets that weren't transferred into your trust during your lifetime. Without one, those assets pass through Oregon's intestacy laws rather than according to your wishes.

What is the difference between a will and a living trust?

A will takes effect at death and must go through probate before assets are distributed. A living trust takes effect immediately, avoids probate, and allows for faster, private transfer of assets to your beneficiaries. Trusts also provide better protection for blended families and beneficiaries who are minors or have special needs.

How much does estate planning cost in Oregon?

Track Town Law offers flat-fee estate planning services in Oregon and Idaho. Fees vary based on the complexity of your plan — whether you need a simple will package, a full revocable living trust plan, or a more complex plan involving Medicaid planning or special needs considerations. Consultations are free.

Do I need an LLC for my small business in Oregon?

Most small business owners in Oregon benefit from forming an LLC. It separates your personal assets from business liabilities, can provide tax flexibility, and signals credibility to clients and vendors. The key is not just forming the LLC but setting it up correctly with an operating agreement, a dedicated bank account, and an EIN.

What does Medicaid planning involve?

Medicaid planning involves structuring your assets and income to qualify for Oregon Medicaid long-term care benefits while protecting as much of your estate as possible. This may involve Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts, spousal protection strategies, and coordinating with VA benefits if applicable. Planning works best when started at least five years before care is needed.

Can I work with Track Town Law if I don't live in Eugene?

Yes. Track Town Law is a fully virtual firm serving clients throughout Oregon and Idaho. All meetings are conducted by video or phone, and documents are signed electronically. You never need to come to an office.

What is Oregon's estate tax threshold?

Oregon imposes its own estate tax with a threshold of $1 million — significantly lower than the federal exemption of $15 million. This means many Oregon families who wouldn't owe federal estate tax may still owe Oregon estate tax. Proper planning with trusts and other strategies can reduce or eliminate this exposure.

How do I get started with Track Town Law?

Start with a free consultation. You can book online at tracktownlaw.com/book-now. Consultations are conducted by video or phone and typically last 30 to 45 minutes. There is no obligation and no charge for the initial meeting.

Why Flat-Fee Estate Planning Produces Better Plans for Oregon Families

May 22

Written By Jared Hight

Most estate planning attorneys bill by the hour. I don't. Here's why flat-fee pricing produces better plans, better relationships, and better outcomes for Oregon and Idaho families.

When people start looking for an estate planning attorney, they usually focus on what they'll get — a will, a trust, powers of attorney. What they don't always think about is how the billing structure shapes the entire experience.

It shapes how often they call. How freely they ask questions. Whether they feel comfortable saying "I don't understand, can you explain that again?" And ultimately, whether the plan that gets drafted actually reflects what they want — or what they were able to communicate in a limited, clock-watching conversation.

I charge flat fees for estate planning. That's a deliberate choice, and it affects everything about how I work with clients.

The Problem with Hourly Billing in Estate Planning

Hourly billing is the default in legal services, and for some types of work it makes sense. Litigation is unpredictable. Complex transactions have variables no one can anticipate. Billing by the hour in those contexts is reasonable.

Estate planning is different. The scope of work is knowable upfront. A will, a trust, a power of attorney, an advance directive — these aren't open-ended projects. They have a defined beginning and end. Billing by the hour for predictable work shifts risk from the attorney to the client, and it creates an incentive structure that doesn't serve anyone well.

More importantly, hourly billing changes how clients behave. When every phone call costs money, people stop calling. They sit with confusion rather than ask a question. They hesitate to share a concern that occurred to them at 2 a.m. because they don't want to generate a bill. They rush through consultations because they can hear the meter running.

That's not how good estate planning gets done.

What Flat-Fee Pricing Actually Changes

When I work with a client on a flat-fee basis, something shifts in the dynamic. They know what the total cost is before we start. There's no ambiguity, no anxiety about the bill, and no reason to ration their questions.

That matters more than it might sound.

Estate planning requires me to understand things that don't always come up in a structured checklist — family dynamics, concerns about a particular heir, a complicated relationship with a sibling, a business interest that needs special treatment, a health situation that affects the timeline. Those things come out in conversation, often in the third or fourth exchange, not the first. They come out when a client feels comfortable enough to keep talking.

When clients aren't watching the clock, they talk. And when they talk, I learn what I actually need to know to draft a plan that works for their real life — not just the standard version of their life.

I also find that flat-fee pricing keeps the lines of communication open throughout the process, not just at the initial meeting. If a client thinks of something after we've met, they call me. If something changes in their family situation while we're in the middle of drafting, they let me know. If they want to revisit a decision they made in our first conversation, they don't hesitate to bring it up.

That ongoing communication produces a better plan. It's that simple.

What's Included

Flat-fee estate planning at Track Town Law includes everything needed to complete the plan — not a base package with add-ons that show up on a separate invoice.

Depending on the plan, that typically means:

A thorough intake and planning conversation where we work through your goals, your family situation, and your assets
Drafting of all documents included in your plan — will or trust, powers of attorney, advance directive, and any supporting documents
Review of how your assets are titled and how your beneficiary designations interact with your plan
Electronic delivery of completed, signature-ready documents
Funding guidance for trust-based plans — the step most attorneys skip and the one that determines whether the trust actually works

There's no separate billing for the follow-up email, the question you think of on the drive home, or the phone call to clarify something in the draft. That's included.

Why This Model Works for Estate Planning Specifically

Estate planning is a trust-based service. Clients are sharing information about their families, their finances, and their fears about what happens when they're gone. That kind of conversation requires a certain comfort level — one that's hard to build when the other person is tracking time.

I also think the flat-fee model aligns my interests with my clients' interests in a way that hourly billing doesn't. My goal is to complete a good plan efficiently. I'm not rewarded for extending the process or generating additional billable time. The plan is done when it's done and done right — not when the hours justify the invoice.

For Oregon and Idaho families who are approaching estate planning for the first time, or who have put it off because the process seemed opaque or expensive, knowing the total cost upfront removes one more barrier. You know what you're committing to before you commit to it.

A Note on What Flat-Fee Pricing Is Not

Flat-fee pricing doesn't mean one-size-fits-all. Different plans have different price points depending on their complexity — a single person with a straightforward will and powers of attorney has different needs than a married couple with a revocable living trust, a business interest, and estate tax exposure.

What stays consistent is the structure: you know the price before we start, the price doesn't change based on how many questions you ask, and everything needed to complete your plan is included.

You can review current pricing at tracktownlaw.com/pricing.

Bottom Line

The way an attorney bills affects more than the invoice — it affects the entire client relationship and the quality of the plan that results. Flat-fee estate planning removes the financial anxiety from a process that's already emotionally weighty, keeps communication open throughout, and produces plans that actually reflect what clients want.

If you've been putting off estate planning because the process seemed expensive or unclear, or if you've worked with an hourly attorney and felt rushed, I'd encourage you to reach out. The conversation is free, the pricing is upfront, and the plan will be built around your real situation — not a template.

Schedule a consultation at tracktownlaw.com.