Around 2001 or 2002 my mother went to the law firm where my deceased father had been a partner and drafted her will. I'm not positive, but I suspect this was done after George W. Bush rewrote the tax code for wills and so it was considerably below owing any inheritance tax. Her will, as she explained to me, explains how the estate will be divided among her 3 children (not the grandchildren, just 3 equal divisions). Granted, at the time, the Bush tax cuts were due to expire in 10 years so it wasn't guaranteed, but it was likely to avoid any inheritance tax.

She told me that as a result of being married to a partner, she had free legal care if she ever needed it. That's probably a firm by firm decision and not universal, but even so, the law firm charged her $5,000 when she did her will with them.

I called the law firm recently because my Mom is getting older, just to see if I needed any advice, questions about this and that, and the lawyer I spoke to briefly told me that our state is too small, and he'd recommend a smaller law firm to handle the estate when the time comes and that all my questions would be solved by a letter from the court when the time comes.

My question is, since the law firm is recommending that I use a smaller firm to "save money" - meaning, I would pay them, what did my mother pay the $5000 for in 2001/2002? And since they aren't going to manage the will, can I get that money back? Are they trying to get out of something they promised to do and were paid to do? Should I remind them that this was paid for long ago?

I realize manage the will might not be the right term. Oversee? I've never done this before, it's all new to me.

Simple answers light on legal terms would be appreciated. Thanks.

Around 2001 or 2002 my mother went to the law firm where my deceased father had been a partner and drafted her will. I'm not positive, but I suspect this was done after George W. Bush rewrote the tax code for wills and so it was considerably below owing any inheritance tax. Her will, as she explained to me, explains how the estate will be divided among her 3 children (not the grandchildren, just 3 equal divisions). Granted, at the time, the Bush tax cuts were due to expire in 10 years so it wasn't guaranteed, but it was likely to avoid any inheritance tax.

She told me that as a result of being married to a partner, she had free legal care if she ever needed it. That's probably a firm by firm decision and not universal, but even so, the law firm charged her $5,000 when she did her will with them.

I called the law firm recently because my Mom is getting older, just to see if I needed any advice, questions about this and that, and the lawyer I spoke to briefly told me that our estate is too small, and he'd recommend a smaller law firm to handle the estate when the time comes and that all my questions would be solved by a letter from the court when the time comes.

My question is, since the law firm is recommending that I use a smaller firm to "save money" - meaning, I would pay them, what did my mother pay the $5000 for in 2001/2002? And since they aren't going to manage the will, can I get that money back? Are they trying to get out of something they promised to do and were paid to do? Should I remind them that this was paid for long ago?

I realize manage the will might not be the right term. Oversee? I've never done this before, it's all new to me.

Simple answers light on legal terms would be appreciated. Thanks.