Basics of Core Plus Planning

What is Core Plus Planning and why was it developed?

To a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail.  Far too often, estate planning attorneys lose the forest for the trees, and end up suggesting overly complicated (and expensive) plans for clients who may not need them.  Here at Will’s Wills, we set out to democratize estate planning to bring estate planning solutions to the average person, and we use Core Plus Planning to do so.

Core Plus Planning is a framework that is designed to create an estate plan that is comprehensive without being over inclusive, and customized to each client’s set of needs, goals, and desires.  The “Core” in Core Plus Planning is composed of incapacity planning documents, such as a Durable Financial Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, and HIPAA Authorizations coupled with a basic Will or Trust.

Once the Core is in place, it gives us an opportunity to be more deliberate in selecting, designing, and implementing the next layer of the plan.  This next layer is client-specific;  it could be the filing of an LLC, the creation of an ILIT, or the execution of an irrevocable trust to supplement their revocable trust.

With Core Plus Planning, we always focus on the client’s needs, we have the alacrity to adhere to their preferred pace, and we are able to ensure that your plan is tailored to your specific needs and is not more extensive than necessary.  Finally, this type of client-centered planning is designed to be the most cost effective approach to estate planning that is in current use today.