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Wills, Trust, and Estate Attorneys

Freeman | Wine, LLC offers attentive, individualized estate planning, probate and estate administration, and bankruptcy in Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley, Georgetown, Beaufort, Colleton, and Horry counties.

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Who We Are

Freeman | Wine, LLC is a law firm founded on the belief that every client has a unique story. Our goal is to provide a low-stress, client-focused, and results-oriented experience.   

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Dana, Attorney

Our Client Centered Process

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Estate Planning Design Meeting with attorney 

Additional time with attorney to complete design (if needed)

Review and Signing Meeting

Receive portfolio and work to coordinate assets with your estate plan

Contact us to review and update in the future

Initial contact to schedule Estate Planning Design Meeting

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Do You Need an Estate Plan?

Does Your Estate Plan Need a Tune-Up? 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Estate Planning

Estate planning should be more than just the simple drafting of documents. It can be the creation of a legacy, both personal and financial, that you leave for your family and loved ones. Estate planning is the process of creating a plan for your assets, property, children, spouse, and other loved ones through the use of trusts, wills, and/or other legal documents, in the event of your disability or death.

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Plan Ahead

Many do not do any estate planning or are only interested only in “simple wills” or online forms due to concerns about cost. However, improper planning comes with many hidden costs, including:

  • Having your assets go to people other than those you intended.

  • The failure of your assets to provide the maximum benefit to your beneficiaries.

  • Extra administrative or probate expenses and legal fees.

  • Delays in distributing your assets throughout the probate process.

  • More taxes-both estate and income taxes must be considered.

  • Damaging relationships between beneficiaries.

  • Failing to protect beneficiaries financially, from themselves or others.

Frequently Asked Questions about Estate Planning with Our Firm

  • What does an estate plan include?
    An estate plan is more than just legal documents. Estate planning also involves coordinating assets with your wishes and legal documents. As part of our process, we will advise you on how best to set up title and beneficiary designations for your assets to ensure your wishes are followed.
  • How much does an estate plan cost?
    We charge a flat fee for our services and you will know the total cost of your estate plan before you start working with us. Our flat fees are customized to your individual needs and goals, so we will need to meet with you before quoting you a fee. Our initial consultation is complimentary, so there is no financial risk to you to meet with us and be quoted a cost.
  • What kinds of documents do I need to have an estate plan?
    A complete estate plan should include documents to address your incapacity and death. Depending on your needs and goals, your estate plan may include a Will, Trust, Durable Power of Attorney, Health Care Power of Attorney, and Living Will.
  • What information will I need to share with you?
    We will ask you for information about your loved ones, as well as information about your assets. We understand the private and sensitive nature of such information and take serious our duty to keep your information strictly confidential.
  • Can I bring other people to my initial meeting?
    Yes, you are welcome to bring loved ones or other professionals who you would like to be a part of your estate planning process. However, we may ask to meet with you alone at some point during our process to ensure you have the opportunity to privately discuss your estate plan with us.
  • Do you offer virtual meetings?
    Yes, we are glad to conduct most of our meetings virtually! We use Zoom for virtual meetings and can also speak by phone. However, because your legal documents must be ink signed originals, we will ask you to come to our office to sign your estate planning documents.
  • How do I receive my estate planning documents at the end of the estate planning process?
    We believe that the time and care you have invested in creating your estate plan should be evident in the finished product you receive from our office. Your estate planning documents will be given to you in a custom portfolio and neatly organized with identifying information and explanations for each document. Your portfolio will also include places for you to record your wishes regarding your funeral or memorial, as well as a place where you can list specific items of tangible property (such as furniture or jewelry) to go to specific people. Our goal is that you or your loved ones can use your portfolio to more easily understand what your estate plan says.
  • What is a team approach to estate planning?
    We love working with other professionals to create a team approach to your estate plan. This may include financial advisors, accountants, or other attorneys. We will gladly include financial or other professionals in the estate planning process to help you create a team to assist you in developing your estate plan, and your loved ones in administering your estate. Knowing you have a team ready to help you or your loved ones in difficult times can be comforting and we respect that work and relationships you may have with other professionals.
  • Why should we work with your firm rather than use an online will or trust form maker or “simple will”?
    Online legal forms and simple will forms can be problematic because they may not adequately address more complex legal issues or your unique personal circumstances. They often lack the personalized guidance and expertise provided by an estate planning attorney, which can lead to errors or oversights in the document. Such low-cost forms may not account for changes in laws or ensure proper execution and witnessing, potentially rendering the documents invalid. Ultimately, relying solely on these types of fill in the blank legal forms can result in unintended consequences and may not fully protect your assets or accurately reflect your wishes. Estate planning is a conversation, not a one-size-fits-all approach, and computers and forms cannot ask you the questions needed to fully ascertain your specific needs and goals.

Estate Planning is for Everyone

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Young

Families

Even if you are young and/or do not have large assets, there are plenty of reasons to create an estate plan.

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Unmarried

Persons

Estate planning is not just for married couples or those with children.

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Seniors

Whether you have a will or trust already or not, now is the time to review your plans to make sure they will be carried out.

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Non-traditional Families

While estate planning is important for everyone, it is especially so for non-traditional and LGBT families.

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Young

Adults

There are some basic documents everyone over the age of 18 should have.

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Bankruptcy

Making the decision to call an attorney or to file bankruptcy is difficult. We understand how overwhelmed you may be at the thought of losing your home, your vehicle or other property. For over 15 years, we have provided bankruptcy services for individuals, couples and business owners. Our attorneys and staff listen to your concerns and together we come up with a solution that best meets your needs. We treat our clients with dignity and respect.

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54+ years
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Our clients are names, not numbers. We provide personal service backed with over 54 years of legal experience. We understand that the circumstances that brought you to our office, whether you are unable to pay your bills or you are considering a divorce, may be difficult. Talking about your estate plan may be hard to imagine. We don’t judge.

Why Work with Us?

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Hear from Our Clients!

Exceptional, well qualified, and professional in the area of trusts and wills. Quality of office staff with personalized attention to detail resulted in a pleasant professional experience.

- T.M.

We're Here to Help

At Freeman | Wine, LLC our estate planning process is client centered. We will not just change the names on old documents prepared for other clients and send you on your way. 

Initial Consultation Meeting

Custom Estate Planning

Review & Management

We're here to help you with any legal matter you may have and specialize in many practice areas. Our experienced team of lawyers is dedicated to providing you with the best possible legal representation. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and let us help you navigate the legal system.

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