A Catholic Estate Plans workshop consists of:

You receive a simple questionnaire beforehand, which you must complete and bring to the workshop.

We work together on your estate plan, with plenty of time for questions. You enter your information into one of our computer workstations.

You go out for dinner, or a walk, or stay and pray, for about an hour while we draft your documents.

You return, sign your documents, and go home with a complete estate plan!

A complete estate plan is much more than just a will. Our estate plans include a will, a health care directive, a power of attorney, a personal property list, and a letter of instruction, to ensure you have a complete plan that truly takes care of the people and places you love.

In the Will, you state what happens with your belongings and who cares for your family when you die. If you have minor children, your will can also include a children’s trust.

In the Health Care Directive, you name an agent to make health care decisions for you when you are unable to, and give directions regarding the medical care you’d like to receive, provide instructions regarding your faith (especially receiving anointing of the sick), and describe your wishes regarding a funeral and burial.

In the Power of Attorney, you can appoint someone to help manage your finances if the need arises.

In you Personal Property List, you can make specific gifts of personal property to family and friends.

Together, these documents create a complete estate plan.

We have worked hard to come up with a process that is not only great, but affordable; we only charge $360 to participate in a workshop.

In comparison, a similar estate plan through a traditional law firm process costs closer to $1,000 or more.

No. Registration is for an individual or a couple, and we don’t charge any extra for an estate plan for a married couple.

In many ways! Here are some of the big ones:

• Other Options: you are on your own. You fill out a form and get documents that you hope are legal and will actually do what you want.

  • Catholic Estate Plans: We are with you throughout the process, and we draft and review your documents, and talk through them with you. You know your estate plan is legal and will actually take care of the people and places you love.

• Other options: May not be a complete estate plan; some only include a will, they almost never include a children’s trust, and they may leave out the health care directive, power of attorney, personal property list, or instruction letters.

  • Catholic Estate Plans: Provides a complete plan, including a will, health care directive, personal property list, and instruction letter.

• Other Options: May not incorporate your Catholic beliefs fully or at all.

  • Catholic Estate Plans: Includes health care instructions that specifically align with and reference Church teachings on ethical health care, and provides instruction regarding receiving the sacraments. Provides an opportunity to give your family instruction regarding your funeral and burial, and an opportunity to set up charitable giving if desired.

• Other Options: Probably do not truly account for the needs of your minor children.

  • Catholic Estate Plans: Includes a children’s trust in plans for families with minor children.

A Catholic estate plan respects and incorporates your faith, and is an opportunity for you to communicate your values to your children.

Perhaps most importantly, a Catholic health care directive informs your doctor that you are Catholic, provides directions for care in accordance with Church teaching, and directs your health care provider to contact your pastor so you can receive anointing of the sick (last rites).

A Catholic estate plan also ensures that the people and places you love are cared for, and gives an opportunity to make charitable donations to your parish, school, or other non-profit if you wish.

Our plans are designed for people who:

• Are practicing Catholics

• Live in Minnesota

• Have less than $2 million in total assets

• Have a simple family structure

• Do not own real estate outside of Minnesota

• Want a straightforward estate plan on which they can rely

• Want their children to receive equal shares

• Are able to type their information into a computer keyboard

Our estate plan is not designed for people who:

• Have over $2 million in net worth

• Do not live in Minnesota

• Own real estate outside of Minnesota

• Have complex needs (blended families, personal issues, children with special needs, elder law concerns, etc.)

• Want to establish a revocable trust

• Have agricultural/farmland

• Cannot type on a keyboard

• Desire in-depth/ extensive discussion when making a plan.

If any of these apply to you, a more traditional estate plan process would better meet your needs. Contact us and we can connect you with an estate planning law firm.

Go here to fill out a workshop request form.

Our workshop is an opportunity to provide a great service to parishioners, helping them care for their families, ensure their estate plans are authentically Catholic, and providing an option to include the parish or school in their will.

The registration page is here.

If there isn’t a workshop already scheduled in your area, ask your parish/school to connect with us!

Or fill out a workshop request form, here, to let us know you’d like to have a workshop in your area.

Feel free to send us an email: hello@catholicestateplans.com, or to send us a message through our contact page.