Short Version:
Joe is very kind, thoughtful and patient. He is very knowledgeable about estate planning from his previous work experience prior to opening his own practice. He can explain legal matters in a way that can be understood by ordinary people. His fees are competitive and reasonable. He is very customer focused with a priority on customer satisfaction.
Long Version:
I was 70 years old and facing surgery in a week or so when I called Joe Coraci. It was the Friday before Christmas and my surgery was right after New Year’s Day. I was concerned that I had still not done anything since my wife died four years earlier to update my will.
Well, I had met with an attorney who had left me confused with the difference between a will and a trust. A will had worked quite well when my wife died. I really didn’t understand why I needed a trust now.
Joe must have sensed the urgency in my voice because, when he suggested meeting with him after the holidays, I mentioned the surgery and he immediately agreed to meet with me at 5:30 PM on the Monday before Christmas.
I had heard Joe talk at a joint presentation (representatives from a cemetery, a funeral home, and estate planning). I immediately liked Joe – from what I heard and what I saw. I approached him afterward and, waiting my turn, I had watched him patiently listen to and talk to an elderly woman. I took his card – and, of course, did nothing for months
until the thought occurred to me “what if I don’t survive this surgery.”
When I did finally meet with him that Monday evening, Joe was excellent at explaining the difference between a will and a trust. He answered questions that I had about some unusual circumstances with my adult married children that needed to be factored into the trust. He was very down to earth and practical in this regard. His fees were slightly lower that two other quotes I had obtained during my procrastination.
Without my asking, he said he would have all the papers drawn up that week (the week of Christmas) and we met on the following Monday and signed everything before my surgery. I was relieved going into the surgery that I at least had my estate plan drawn up – even though I needed to do my part and get the trust “funded”.
Since then I have sent Joe emails with legal questions – loosely related to the trust – more to the complicated situations with my adult children – and he has always responded by the end of the day with an email or a call – giving me his advice and referring me, if need be, to other professionals for additional help.
He has never billed me for any of the time involved with his response to my emails. This was new for me. My previous experience with attorneys (for wills or otherwise) was the clock was always running and the billing increments were in 15 minute blocks. Naturally I liked Joe’s approach better but I also realized that he is more interested in long term customer satisfaction. Needless to say I have been very satisfied and would recommend Joe for estate planning to anyone who will listen to me.