Estate Planning & Probate
The plan your family will actually be able to follow.
Most people put this off because they picture a thick binder of documents nobody understands. I write plans in plain language, explain every decision out loud, and make sure the people you name know what to do when the time comes.
Why people call
You already know you need this. Something keeps stopping you.
Usually it's one of these. None of them are unusual, and none of them take as long to sort out as people expect.
- You have a will from years ago, and your life has changed since — a house, a marriage, a child, a business.
- A parent has died and you've been named executor, and nobody has explained what that actually involves.
- You have a child with special needs and you're worried about what happens to them after you.
- You own a home in Connecticut and you'd like your family to avoid probate on it.
- You're the person your family relies on, and you don't like the idea of leaving them a mess.
Practice Areas
How I can help
Estate work is all I do. That focus is the reason a straightforward plan doesn't turn into a six-week project.
Wills & Trusts
A will, a revocable living trust, or both — sized to what you own rather than to a template.
Learn more →Probate & Estate Administration
Guiding executors through Connecticut probate court, deadlines, and creditor notices.
Learn more →Powers of Attorney & Health Directives
Naming who decides for you on money and medical care if you can't decide for yourself.
Learn more →Elder Law & Long-Term Care
Planning ahead for nursing home costs and Connecticut Medicaid eligibility.
Learn more →About
You will work with me, not with an intake team.
I opened this practice in 2007 after six years at a larger firm in Hartford, where estate files got handed down to whoever was free that week. Clients would come to a signing meeting and meet their attorney for the first time. That's a strange way to handle the most personal set of decisions a person makes.
Here, the person you speak to on the first call is the person who drafts your documents and the person who picks up the phone four years later when something changes. It's a smaller practice on purpose.
- Admitted
- Connecticut, 2001 · U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- Education
- J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law
B.A., Trinity College - Memberships
- Connecticut Bar Association, Estates & Probate Section
New Haven County Bar Association - Consultations
- In person in Millbrook, by phone, or by video
What to expect
Three meetings, start to finish
Most straightforward plans are signed within four to six weeks of the first call.
The first conversation
Thirty minutes, no charge, no forms to fill out beforehand. You describe your situation and I tell you plainly what you need — which is sometimes less than you expected. You'll leave with a flat fee quote in writing.
The design meeting
We go through the real decisions: who handles things, who receives what, what happens if someone predeceases you. I draft nothing until you've talked through every one of them and understand the trade-offs.
Signing and handover
We sign with witnesses and a notary here in the office. You leave with originals, digital copies, and a one-page summary written for whoever will one day have to use it.
Client feedback
What clients say
“My father died in February and I had no idea what an executor was supposed to do. Elena walked me through every filing and told me when to stop worrying.”
“We'd been putting off writing wills for eleven years. It took two meetings. I genuinely don't know what we were so afraid of.”
“Our son has autism and we needed a special needs trust done properly. She explained it to us twice without once making us feel slow.”
Client names have been shortened at their request. Testimonials describe individual experiences and are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction of the outcome of any other matter. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Common questions
Before you call
If your question isn't answered here, it's a good thing to bring to the free consultation.
What does an estate plan cost?
Flat fees, quoted in writing after the first conversation, so you know the number before you commit to anything. A straightforward will-based plan for an individual generally runs $900–$1,400; a trust-based plan for a couple with a home generally runs $2,800–$4,200. Probate administration is quoted separately once I know the size and complexity of the estate.
Do I actually need a trust, or is a will enough?
For a lot of Connecticut families, a well-drafted will plus properly titled accounts does the job, and I will tell you that rather than sell you a trust. Trusts earn their cost when there's real estate you'd like to keep out of probate, a beneficiary who shouldn't receive money outright, property in more than one state, or a desire for privacy.
How long does probate take in Connecticut?
A simple estate typically takes six to twelve months, driven mostly by the statutory creditor claim period and the court's own schedule rather than by anything either of us does. Estates with real property, a business interest, or a disagreement among beneficiaries run longer.
I have a will from 1998. Is it still valid?
Probably valid, and quite possibly wrong. Validity is rarely the issue — the issue is that it names people who have died or moved on, doesn't cover assets you've since acquired, and was written under different tax rules. A review appointment usually resolves this quickly.
Can we do this without coming into the office?
The consultation and design meetings can be by phone or video. Connecticut requires witnesses and a notary for the signing itself, so that meeting happens in person — it takes about half an hour, and I can travel to you if health or mobility makes that difficult.
Start with a conversation, not a commitment.
Thirty minutes, no charge, and no obligation to hire anyone. You'll leave knowing what you need and what it costs.