Estate planning attorneys deal in precision. A will with an incorrect beneficiary designation or a trust with ambiguous successor trustee language can undo decades of careful planning. The documentation requirements are exacting, and the clients are often senior, not tech-savvy, and need a process that feels personal — not like filling out a tax form.
Most practice management software ignores the estate planning lifecycle entirely. There's no concept of a revocable versus irrevocable trust, no way to track beneficiaries and their relationships to the testator, no checklist for healthcare directives and powers of attorney. You end up managing estate planning cases in a generic matter management system that doesn't know a pour-over will from a spendthrift trust.
Steadfast Practice's 11-field estate planning intake covers the essentials from the first conversation: client age, marital status, number of dependents, existing estate documents, asset overview, beneficiary designations, healthcare proxy preferences, trust structure goals, and special circumstances (minor children, disabled beneficiaries, blended families). The client fills it out before they arrive. You start the consultation with the full picture.
Estate Planning Features That Actually Fit
Will, trust, and directive templates. Standard Texas estate planning documents structured for your workflow — not generic contract templates that require editing to recognize a beneficiary designation.
Beneficiary tracking. Document primary and contingent beneficiaries, their relationships, and any special conditions. Update on plan amendments without re-entering everything.
Flat-fee billing that clients understand. Estate planning is 90% flat-fee work. Quote your fee in the intake form, document the scope, and invoice on completion — all in one system.
Annual review reminders. Estate plans need regular updates. Steadfast Practice lets you schedule automatic client reminders at 1-year, 3-year, and life-event intervals — turning single engagements into long-term client relationships.
Scorpion's retainer is typically $3,000–$7,000/month, which is the entire revenue of a solo estate planning attorney's slow month. Steadfast Practice is $49/month, full stop.