Our estate planning attorneys help families with complex issues plan for the future when they're gone. Children with special needs, and even some adult children, may need financial and care structure throughout their lives. Because of our estate planning expertise with more complicated situations, we can help craft right solution - whether it is a trust or guardianship option or securing financial stewardship going forward.
Our financial planner suggested that because of changing tax laws, we should consider a dynastic trust. As we have a granddaughter on the autistic spectrum, there were other considerations as well. Ellen was very knowledgeable about customizing a trust to suit our unique needs. She set up a dynasty trust for us with special needs provisions to protect and provide for our granddaughter.
Our financial planner suggested that because of changing tax laws, we should consider a dynastic trust. As we have a granddaughter on the autistic spectrum, there were other considerations as well. Ellen was very knowledgeable about customizing a trust to suit our unique needs. She set up a dynasty trust for us with special needs provisions to protect and provide for our granddaughter.
Services
At Cookman Law, we are passionate about helping families with complex situations plan for the future. We believe that each family has unique needs, and their estate plan should be customized to meet those needs. Ellen Cookman started the firm in 2015, to provide broad estate planning services in the California Bay Area with a subfocus in special needs planning.
Estate planning is the process of establishing a plan for the management and distribution of your assets upon your death or incapacity. You want to make sure that your final property and health care wishes are honored, and that your family and loved ones are provided for when you are gone. Some families with complex situations or children who will need a lot of guidance need an estate plan to provide financial management, care and structure.
This is the cornerstone of most estate plans in California. This type of trust can be changed or amended at any time (it's "revocable") and it's set up while the settlor is still alive (it's "living"). Typically, the people setting up a revocable living trust play all 3 roles: they are the settlors, the trustees, and the beneficiaries!
The "Will Reading" is a dramatic feature in many popular films - Who will inherit what? Consider the movie "Gran Torino", where the Clint Eastwood character bequests the movie's namesake car to Thao Vang Lor, a young Hmong teenager and Eastwood's neighbor. Or in "Knives Out", where Harlan Thrombey, the elderly family patriarch, caused a ruckus by leaving everything to Marta, Harlan's nurse.
A special needs trust is the cornerstone of broader special needs planning. Specials needs children and their families need more than help with therapists and schooling. They need holistic planning that requires both legal and financial expertise. By structuring a legal plan for financial and custodial support, your child's world will be maintained and protected when you die.
Reviews (21)
C. Hoyt
Nov 18, 2021
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My wife and I worked with Ellen Cookman and her team at Cookman Law to create our Estate Plan. Our situation is complicated by two special needs cases. Ellen was very attentive, thoughtful, and thorough in handling our requests. We are very happy with the service we received at Cookman Law. We highly recommend Ellen and her team.
Karen Rennolds
Jul 20, 2021
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I highly recommend Cookman Law. Ellen puts your mind at ease by
knowing that the job is done right the First time. Ellen helped me through
the complicated language of the family trust after my mother passed.
She helped fix problems from a less expensive lawyer, and Gave strong
language to a Bank that was giving me problems. If I could give Cookman Law 12 stars I would.
knowing that the job is done right the First time. Ellen helped me through
the complicated language of the family trust after my mother passed.
She helped fix problems from a less expensive lawyer, and Gave strong
language to a Bank that was giving me problems. If I could give Cookman Law 12 stars I would.
Robert D. Brownstone
Jun 17, 2021
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Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value
Ellen Cookman and all the other three folks with whom i dealt at her law firm were all top notch in personality, knowledge and skills. High quality work. Fair flat fee. All questions answered. Very good use of tech to schedule, to communicate and to revise documents. Excellent in every way!
Ellen Cookman and all the other three folks with whom i dealt at her law firm were all top notch in personality, knowledge and skills. High quality work. Fair flat fee. All questions answered. Very good use of tech to schedule, to communicate and to revise documents. Excellent in every way!
Michal Woroniecki
Nov 28, 2020
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Lucy Peterson
Oct 28, 2020
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Ellen redid our trust as well as create a special needs trust for our daughter. It was easy, complete and both she and her staff were very thorough. She answered our myriad of questions throughout the process. She's very knowledgeable on both general estate planning as well as special needs trusts. We waited years to finally find someone that could take care of everything we needed. Its expensive but everything is included and we feel it was worth the cost. Ellen seems very genuine and easy to talk to.
S. Wolf
Jun 26, 2020
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Ellen helped us with an estate plan that included providing for our child with special needs. We knew that we needed trusts to provide for and protect our child, but that’s about it. Ellen is extremely knowledgable about estate planning for the care of children with special needs and she took the time to educate and advise us on what we needed and why. As importantly, she thought about how to ensure that both our children would have the help they needed to continue to grow and thrive. This included recommending and introducing us to a professional fiduciary for the special needs trust, allowing
Linda T.
May 28, 2020
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Ellen provided superb support to me when I was trustee of a trust. For the many (new to me) activities that I conducted, she guided me through the process every step of the way in a very thorough, confident, and patient manner. Right away I felt a trust with her. She is extremely knowledgeable, understanding, and responsive.
Willie Lagunzad
Jan 04, 2020
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The Maxwell Family
Dec 31, 2019
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Putting together a will and trust is a lengthy effort that requires patience, organization...and a lot of gentle nudging and reminders from the attorney. We're so happy we found Ellen for this. It's a complicated process, there are lots of options, and we found that she not only offered the services but also advice on tough decisions we'd need to make along the way. When it comes to matters like this, you want an attorney that radiates friendliness and helpfulness when it comes to planning your family's future. We highly recommend her.
Craig C.
Mar 23, 2019
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Aurora Brosnan
Nov 20, 2018
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I vetted multiple attorneys before choosing Ellen to prepare our family's plans, specifically due to her knowledge around matters of special needs estate planning. Ellen is well-informed, warm and friendly, and understands special needs topics in detail, spending as much time as our family required to explain thoroughly matters of importance to us. I highly recommend her.
Michael P.
Aug 13, 2018
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My wife and I had our first child not long ago, and we both felt prompted to start our estate plan. We looked around and were so glad to find Ellen. Her background and experience put us as ease. After our first in-person consultation, we knew we had made the right choice. She was a wonderful adviser throughout the process, answering all of our questions (including quick replies to some long emails from us).
Ellen was also a good sounding board for us. She help us think through how changes to our family and financial situation over time would impact our estate plan, identifying contingencies along
Ellen was also a good sounding board for us. She help us think through how changes to our family and financial situation over time would impact our estate plan, identifying contingencies along
Juliet H.
Jun 29, 2018
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Professional and Compassionate
Ellen is the adroit professional esquire. She help my mom, most literally up until days before her transition. She not only safeguarded my mom's assets while going through a divorce but she also protected my mom's future wishes which made thing easier for my family in the end. Lawyers sometime get a bad reputation, however in my experience Ellen keeps thing above board, she is transparent and clearly articulates what needs to happen. She is quite compassionate and has an empathetic heart. I am glad we found her and would recommend her wholeheartedly
Ellen is the adroit professional esquire. She help my mom, most literally up until days before her transition. She not only safeguarded my mom's assets while going through a divorce but she also protected my mom's future wishes which made thing easier for my family in the end. Lawyers sometime get a bad reputation, however in my experience Ellen keeps thing above board, she is transparent and clearly articulates what needs to happen. She is quite compassionate and has an empathetic heart. I am glad we found her and would recommend her wholeheartedly
Gretchen W.
May 03, 2018
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I was thrilled to have found Ellen. She was easy to talk to and very professional at the same time. We were able to complete all my estate planning needs within a few visits and a couple short calls for which she was always very available. I highly recommend Ellen if you've been putting off your estate planning needs- she's A+
Dk H.
Dec 22, 2017
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Jackie M.
Sep 15, 2017
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Ellen did the Estate Planning for our family with a special needs son. She was so great to work with along the way. She answered all our questions and came up with some great solutions. She listened to our needs and was able to deliver on a tight deadline. Our Estate Planning was a multi-step process due to our situation and she was able to remain flexible. She is patient, detail oriented and an expert in her field. I would highly recommend Cookman Law.
Loretta Romanek
Jun 21, 2017
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I put a lot of thought into selecting Cookman Law. Foremost, with so much at stake, I wanted a Certified Specialist, Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law from the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.
I wanted someone intuitively drawn to detail, a lawyer who listens, explains the pros and cons of our options, offers suggestions, is responsive. A lawyer confident in their skills.
In creating our Family Trust Ellen Cookman proved to have all these qualities---with a bonus. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met.
I wanted someone intuitively drawn to detail, a lawyer who listens, explains the pros and cons of our options, offers suggestions, is responsive. A lawyer confident in their skills.
In creating our Family Trust Ellen Cookman proved to have all these qualities---with a bonus. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met.
Michelle T.
Dec 27, 2016
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Kandice S.
Sep 23, 2016
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My husband & I had put off our Estate Planning because it felt too 'big' and we weren't sure how to get started. Ellen was WONDERFUL. She is extremely professional and it was obvious that Estate Planning is her specialty. She is patient, very knowledgeable, timely, clear-cut and easy to work with. She was able to answer all of our questions and we now have a trust and will that we feel confident in. We would absolutely recommend Ellen to any of our friends and colleagues.
Shannon C.
Feb 16, 2016
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Ellen was great to work with and did a great job writing my estate plan and walking me through the process. She is approachable, knowledgeable, and detailed oriented. She was easy to talk to, asked the right questions, and explained things well. I would definitely recommend her to friends needing similar help, she is a true professional.
Ellie P.
Jan 14, 2016
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I interviewed at least 6 different highly recommended estate planning attorneys and Ellen was the clear winner. She has the broadest knowledge of California estate law and related family law issues which can be complicated. She's smart, patient, flexible, and able to work with a range of different people. You feel like you're working with someone who knows what they're doing, and helps evaluate options but doesn't push in a particular direction if it's inappropriate. Most importantly, she's focused on her clients and I really felt I could trust her. I have recommended
