Explanation of Benefits and Terms of Service

Program Overview

The Elevated Care Program (ECP) is a supplemental membership-style program offered by Elevated Estate Planning, P.S. (EEP) to provide clients with an additional level of service and care along with several other helpful features and benefits. The program is offered as an option to clients who wish to receive a higher level of service and attention. An active ECP membership is not required to conduct business with EEP. Any previous work (wills, trusts, ancillary documents, probates, etc.) is legal and in effect once signed and notarized regardless of a client’s ECP membership status.

ECP Features and Benefits Explained

During their membership period, members of ECP are eligible to receive all the following benefits included with the cost of annual membership renewal:

  • Annual Paralegal Review Meeting:

The purpose of a paralegal review meeting is to ensure that a client’s estate plan remains up to date and continues to reflect the client’s desires. ECP members are entitled to ONE (1) free paralegal review meeting each year that they maintain an active ECP membership. ECP members are required to call our office to request and schedule an appointment. In most cases, meetings will be scheduled with any available member of the paralegal team. In some circumstances, a review appointment may be scheduled with an attorney at no additional cost to the ECP member.

  • Free Estate Plan Amendment

Active Elevated Care Program (ECP) members are entitled to one (1) complimentary discretionary amendment per 12-month membership period. A discretionary amendment includes minor adjustments to an existing estate plan, such as updates to beneficiary designations, modifications to specific bequests, or the addition of newly acquired assets. To qualify for this benefit, amendment requests must be submitted in writing—either as a hand-written note, typed or printed document, or email—and received by our office before the client’s ECP membership expiration date. While the amendment request must be received before the expiration date, it does not need to be processed, completed, or signed by that date. For example, if a membership expires on July 31, 2025, and the client submits an amendment request on July 15, 2025, the request will be processed as a complimentary amendment, even if it is completed after the expiration date and regardless of whether the client chooses to renew their ECP membership for the following year.

This benefit is limited to one discretionary amendment per membership year and does not roll over to subsequent years; if unused, it will expire at the end of the 12-month period. Additional discretionary amendments requested during the same membership year are not covered by this benefit but may be available at a reduced fee at the firm’s discretion. Amendments required due to changes in law or tax regulations that impact a client’s estate plan, or corrections to errors made by our firm in the original estate plan, will not count against the client’s annual amendment limit.

  • Restatements

Restatements are required for significant changes to an estate plan, such as restructuring a trust, changing fiduciaries, modifying multiple beneficiary designations, or incorporating protective trusts for beneficiaries. As of July 1, 2024, the cost of a restatement is $1,500 for a single individual and $2,000 for a married couple. Restatements are not included in the cost of Elevated Care Program (ECP) membership. However, ECP members may apply their annual renewal fee toward the cost of a restatement, and their ECP membership will be extended for an additional 12 months from the date the restatement is signed. For example, if a married couple paid $450 for their annual ECP renewal and requires a restatement, the cost during their active membership year would be $1,550 ($2,000 minus the $450 renewal fee). Clients who have maintained an active, paid ECP membership for five or more consecutive years but have not utilized their membership benefits (e.g., no amendments or review appointments) during that time may be eligible for a restatement at no additional charge if an attorney or paralegal determines it is necessary.

  • Phone calls and emails with an attorney

For matters determined to require attorney-level support, ECP members may communicate directly with attorneys via phone or email. Determination of the need for attorney support will be at the sole discretion of Elevated Estate Planning staff. Communication via any channel with attorneys for matters not directly related to your estate plan and/or not pre-approved by EEP staff will be billed at the attorney’s hourly rate of $300/hr.

  • Digital Storage Lockbox

The Digital Storage Lockbox provides unlimited access to a client’s important estate plan and legal documents online. The third-party service utilized to host the digital lockbox (MyCase.com) utilizes bank-level SSL/AES encryption to ensure that all documents are private and secure. Clients can authorize additional users to access their lockbox by completing a Consent to Communicate, listing the individual(s) to be added, and providing their email address(es).

  • Emergency Medical Information Card (EMIC)

In the weeks after signing their original estate plan, ECP members will receive an Emergency Medical Information Card (EMIC) via mail. This card is intended to be kept in a client’s wallet or purse. In the event of a medical emergency, medical professionals will be able to receive swift access to vital legal and medical documents such as emergency contact information, known allergies, existing medical conditions, healthcare power of attorney, advance healthcare directive, and HIPAA authorization. In order for the information associated with the EMIC to be accurate and current, it is important for clients to update their medical and emergency contact information whenever there is a change by completing a Health Information form (HIF). Members who maintain a paid ECP membership over multiple years will receive new EMICs every other year upon their renewal.

  • AssetTrack® Report

The AssetTrack® report helps clients maintain an inventory of assets with current values which ensures both an easier transition for their Successor(s) and avoids any assets falling through the cracks. This information also helps our firm provide clients with timely and relevant legal advice. Once logged in to the AssetTrack® report (www.elevatedestateplanning.law/asset-track/), clients can add and update information at any time. The AssetTrack® is NOT a legal document and is not required to be completed in order to administrate an estate plan. While AssetTrack® data is secure, it is not recommended to store financial account numbers, passwords, or other security or identity related information in the AssetTrack® system.

  • Elevated Care Concierge support

Current ECP members have exclusive access to the Elevated Care Concierge. The Concierge serves as the client’s single point of contact within the firm for all matters. The Concierge will strive to serve ECP members however possible, answer any questions they might have, or escalate their matter to other staff when necessary. To connect with the Elevated Care Concierge, send an email to [email protected] or call (509) 328-2150 and press option 4 from the main menu.

  • Elevated Care University (ECU) access

The Elevated Care University (ECU) is an online learning center with a host of articles, resources, guides, and videos about various aspects of estate planning, elder law, and estate administration. ECP members have unlimited access to the contents of ECU during their active membership. ECU also serves as the archive for recordings of all previous Elevated Care Workshops and Seminars. To access ECU, visit ecu.elevatedestateplanning.law.

  • Exclusive Monthly e-Newsletter

A monthly e-Newsletter is distributed to all current ECP clients and their lockbox designee(s) on or about the first of every month. Clients must have a current active email address on file in order to receive the e-Newsletter. E-Newsletters contain information about estate planning and elder law in general, organizational updates, helpful articles on topics relevant to clients, and highlight local community events, among other periodic features. Clients may choose to OPT OUT of receiving the monthly e-Newsletter by using the unsubscribe link at the bottom of each month’s newsletter. It is important to note that by unsubscribing from the newsletter, clients will also be unsubscribing from all other automated and marketing email communications from our firm, including ECP renewal reminder messages.

  • Quarterly Elevated Care Workshops

Four times each year, EEP will hold special events exclusively open to current ECP members referred to as Quarterly Elevated Care Workshops. Each Workshop is held once in the Spokane area and again in the Tri-Cities area in an effort to serve our ECP clients in all regions. These events vary in format and focus, with some being more educational and informative and others being for fun and entertainment. Previous informational workshops have included discussions about caring for aging parents, applying for and navigating Medicaid, the role and responsibilities of the Successor Trustee(s), and how to plan for more intangible aspects of one’s estate. Fun and entertainment experiences have included a Paint & Sip (learn to paint a picture and sample local wines), live comedy from local comedians, and Bingo games. There is no additional cost for ECP members to attend these events but advance registration is required. Event and registration information is sent out via email in the monthly e-Newsletters. With the exception of the biennial Successor Trustee Workshop, these events are open exclusively to ECP members; outside guests are not permitted. ECP members who are unable to attend an informational workshop will be able access a video recording on ECU in the weeks following the workshop.

  • Exclusive ECP Facebook Group access

EEP has created a Facebook group open exclusively to ECP members. The purpose of the group is to provide an additional channel of communication from the firm to the client, from the client to the firm, and to connect clients to each other. To join, visit facebook.com/groups/EEPECP and click the button to join the group. Those requesting membership are required to read and agree to the group rules and answer a few general information questions in order to be admitted. Group members may be removed from the group for failure to comply with group rules and codes of conduct. ECP renewal costs are non-refundable, even if a member is removed from the group for failure to adhere to group rules or codes of conduct.

  • Successor Trustee Manual

This helpful comprehensive resource was created to assist Successor Trustees through the journey of trust administration. It is available in both digital and printed formats. The digital version is available on Elevated Care University (ECU). A printed version is available by request from our office and is also distributed to all attendees of the biennial Successor Trustee Workshop.

  • Annual Estate Plan Summary

Each year in the month prior to their ECP expiration date, members will receive a renewal packet via standard mail that includes summary documents of their estate plan. These documents may include any of the following: Names and Fiduciaries Summary, Trust Summary, and/or Estate Plan Review. These summaries are NOT legal documents in and of themselves. They are intended to serve as an at-a-glance overview of a client’s estate plan, providing a simple method for quickly verifying that their plan still reflects their wishes and determining if any changes or updates need to be made.  Summary documents do not need to be saved or retained by clients.

  • Annual summary of law changes affecting your estate plan

A summary of current state and federal law changes relevant to estate planning is also included in the annual ECP renewal packet. The summary is created by the EEP legal team and written in such a way as to be easily understandable by clients. It is the client’s responsibility to review this summary and determine if their specific estate plan has potential to be affected by the law changes detailed therein. It is recommended that clients with questions or concerns schedule a review appointment to determine if changes are necessary.

  • Update to your Durable Powers of Attorney

Many financial institutions have very stringent regulations regarding acceptance of Durable Powers of Attorney (DPA). One commonly scrutinized aspect is the age of the document. In order to ensure that clients always have a recent DPA in effect, we send new DPA documents to all ECP members every other year in the annual renewal packet. The DPA will reflect the same information as the previous document, save any verbiage changes that may be necessary to meet current legal standards. Clients are responsible for having the document notarized, which can be done at EEP (see next paragraph) or any notary of the client’s choosing. Clients who wish to have their most recent DPA on file or included in their digital lockbox will need to submit copies of the signature pages to our office by either mailing physical copies or sending scans via email.

  • Notary services for ANY legal document

ECP members are eligible to receive free notary services from our office on any documents, regardless of who created them. SPOKANE OFFICE: No appointment is necessary for documents requiring signatures on 2 or fewer pages, but please call ahead to verify availability. Appointments are needed for documents requiring signatures on 3 or more pages. ALL OTHER OFFICES: These offices are not able to reliably accommodate walk-ins. Appointments are necessary for all notary services.

  • 15% discount on additional legal services

ECP members requiring additional legal services will receive a 15% discount off standard flat-rate pricing for in-house legal services. This discount does not apply to deed recording fees, LLC processing fees, or other services whose fees are not determined by EEP.

Membership Periods

All new clients of Elevated Estate Planning who create a trust-based estate plan receive one complimentary year of Elevated Care Program (ECP) membership included with their purchase. The membership expires 12 months from the last day of the month in which the estate plan is signed. For example, if a client signs their trust on July 9, 2025, their ECP membership will expire on July 31, 2026.

Renewals

ECP memberships do not auto-renew, and our firm does not store payment or financial information. Renewal packets are mailed approximately one month before the membership expiration date. These packets include:

  • A letter from the managing attorney
  • An annual summary of federal and state law changes that may affect the estate plan
  • An invoice for the ECP renewal fee
  • Summary documents of the client’s current estate plan
  • A copy of the client’s most recent AssetTrack report
  • Information about ECP benefits
  • A business reply envelope for updates or payment

Clients are eligible for a renewal discount (amount varies) if payment is received before their membership expiration date. The discount expires at 11:59 p.m. on the expiration date. Renewal payments can be made by:

  1. Sending a check using the business reply envelope included in the renewal packet.
  2. Calling (509) 328-2150 to pay over the phone with a major credit/debit card.
  3. Paying online at www.elevatedestateplanning.law.

Late Renewals

Clients may renew their ECP membership at any time within 12 months after their expiration date without any late payment penalty, but the renewal discount will no longer apply.

Re-Enrollment After 12 Months

If more than 12 months have passed since a client’s ECP membership expired, re-enrollment requires scheduling a review appointment. During this appointment, an attorney or paralegal will assess any updates or work needed for the estate plan. Clients will be required to pay for any necessary updates (such as an amendment or a restatement) at that time. The cost of the work will include one year of ECP membership, which can be renewed in subsequent years following the standard renewal process.

ECP Renewal Rates for 2025

SingleMarried
$400$500

By renewing ECP membership, you acknowledge your understanding and agreement to these terms and conditions. If you have questions or require additional information about any of these terms, please contact the Elevated Care Concierge at (509) 328-2150 x9010 or [email protected].