I am an education professional who teaches long term health care planning to farm and ranch families. It is an important personal but also financial issue for those families to address. To make sure my materials are correct I asked both Susan and Stephen to review a portion of the materials. They did so very willingly and were very professional. Their support staff person Anastasia could not have been more helpful. Their knowledge is exemplar and they care very much about their work and the people they serve.
Gary A. Hachfeld
Review Left On 02/28/2016
Martha Anderson
My father passed away in August 2014. Susan prepared the trust documents for my father upon a referral to her office by his financial planner years prior to his death. It made perfect sense to have her complete the Minnesota Estate tax filing 706 even with my husband, an attorney. We thought it would be cost effective to have the same office prepare the only document needed for our purposes to close the trust following his death, the Minnesota Estate Tax M706. My father had prepared everything for a simple closure to irrevocable trust but for this required filing.
I forwarded all the documentation to Susan's office on November 24, 2014 and actually thought we might close the file by the end of the year (2014). While there were a series of emails between Susan's legal assistant and me, I never once spoke with Susan regarding this estate tax calculation and filing. Finally in mid-may the M706 was ready from Susan's office for the required filing by the May 26th. Susan's assistance handled all communications and the majority of the work, so I felt bill for service would be quite reasonable. After waiting six months for the M706 filing and not a single conversation with Susan, we finally could move on with the closure of my father's trust. To my surprise the bill for the single service was $3,967.36 and the invoice came with only two numbers on it: one for special mailing services for $14.86 and the balance in legal fees without any subtotals or detail on time/hours/ or hourly rate charges for work by Susan or her assistant were provided on the invoice.
I reviewed the invoice with another attorney and emailed Susan asking for the detailed time and costs associated with the service rendered. I was told this type of billing is not standard and I should request the detail breakdown with hours and hourly rates and costs for the service. The only response from Susan's office was another one page statement showing "Prior Balance: $3,967.36". I gave up and paid the bill.
The passing of one's parent is painful process. I didn't expect this frustration while trying to move past Dad's death. The bill received is not the common practice and I don't know why an explanation was not forthcoming. Legal work should be detailed by dates of service, the individual who completed the work with the hours worked, the rate charged and the dollar amount associated with each line item. To this date I have no idea what Susan or her legal assistant bill per hour or what really created a total charge of $3,967.36 to complete the filing of the M706. A response by Susan her office to any client, whether to engage in work or to inquire about the charges on an invoice after work is complete, is something an attorney should provide.
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Gary A. Hachfeld
I forwarded all the documentation to Susan's office on November 24, 2014 and actually thought we might close the file by the end of the year (2014). While there were a series of emails between Susan's legal assistant and me, I never once spoke with Susan regarding this estate tax calculation and filing. Finally in mid-may the M706 was ready from Susan's office for the required filing by the May 26th. Susan's assistance handled all communications and the majority of the work, so I felt bill for service would be quite reasonable. After waiting six months for the M706 filing and not a single conversation with Susan, we finally could move on with the closure of my father's trust. To my surprise the bill for the single service was $3,967.36 and the invoice came with only two numbers on it: one for special mailing services for $14.86 and the balance in legal fees without any subtotals or detail on time/hours/ or hourly rate charges for work by Susan or her assistant were provided on the invoice.
I reviewed the invoice with another attorney and emailed Susan asking for the detailed time and costs associated with the service rendered. I was told this type of billing is not standard and I should request the detail breakdown with hours and hourly rates and costs for the service. The only response from Susan's office was another one page statement showing "Prior Balance: $3,967.36". I gave up and paid the bill.
The passing of one's parent is painful process. I didn't expect this frustration while trying to move past Dad's death. The bill received is not the common practice and I don't know why an explanation was not forthcoming. Legal work should be detailed by dates of service, the individual who completed the work with the hours worked, the rate charged and the dollar amount associated with each line item. To this date I have no idea what Susan or her legal assistant bill per hour or what really created a total charge of $3,967.36 to complete the filing of the M706. A response by Susan her office to any client, whether to engage in work or to inquire about the charges on an invoice after work is complete, is something an attorney should provide.