Get started - Welcome to 49th Estate Planning! Meeting your estate planning needs in Juneau, Alaska and throughout the State

Estate Planning That Actually Works for Your Family

At our firm, we take a different approach to estate planning. Unlike the traditional experience that leaves you with a confusing set of documents, we focus on providing peace of mind by creating a plan tailored to your family’s needs. We know life is busy, which is why we have a team in place that walks you through every step of the process. Whether preparing for the future or protecting your family’s wealth—financial and intangible—we’re here to ensure your wishes are honored and your loved ones are cared for.

Meet the Team

Liz Smith - CEO and Founding Attorney

Liz Smith is the CEO and Founding attorney of 49th Estate Planning. She loves meeting people and helping them learn about the process their assets must go through upon death, and then to create a plan with you if you want to do something different than what happens without any planning.

How it works

1. Initial Call and Planning Session

Many clients first connect with us by scheduling a quick 15-minute call with our intake coordinator. It’s a chance to share some basic information and get a feel for how we work. From there, we’ll help you book a 2-hour Planning Session with one of our attorneys—typically scheduled about three weeks out.

2. Personalized Plan Design

During your Planning Session, we’ll walk through a detailed inventory of your family, assets, and what matters most to you. Together with your attorney, you’ll design a personalized estate plan that fits your life and goals. Within a week, you’ll receive a clear overview of the design, and about five weeks later, you’ll finalize everything by signing your completed plan.

3. Create Your Plan

During your meeting with the attorney, you’ll explore options for your estate plan. Together, you’ll design a customized strategy that works for you and your loved ones.

4. Review Your Plan

One week after your meeting, you’ll receive an overview of the designed plan. Take your time to review it thoroughly and make any adjustments you feel are necessary.

5. Follow Up - The Necessary Ingredient to Keep Your Plan up to Date

After your legal plan is in place, you likely need to make changes to ownership and/or beneficiaries on accounts. We have a process to follow up with you and aim to make sure the follow-through gets done. After that, we have processes in place to ensure that our team is here to work with you for your lifetime to ensure your plan stays up to date.

6. Completion & Client Care Program

Once your assets are fully transferred and your plan is in place, we’ll meet for a binder delivery meeting, celebrating this milestone. You’ll also have the option to sign up for our Client Care Program, ensuring your plan stays up to date as life changes.