The Estate Planning Center

about us

We’ve come to realize that some people don’t really care what happens to their estate and their wisdom…which, ultimately, are their influence on future generations. We have also observed that even people who do care are often poorly served by professionals who aren’t thorough.

If you care about the impact of your wealth and wisdom on your loved ones, we’re here to help with our unique LifeSpan Planning Process™.

We call it LifeSpan™ because we counsel together with client families over the remaining time we are given to develop, maintain, enhance, and ultimately carry out their plans to convey a lifetime of earned and learned wisdom along with their material wealth to future generations.

Our clients do not all have large estates. But they all care deeply about passing what they have, to whom they want, when they want and the way they want, making the most positive impact possible on those who will receive it.

For some people, your only interest is in passing your material wealth; our LifeSpan Planning Process™ is designed to help you do so efficiently and effectively. We would be pleased to help you accomplish your objectives.

However, a great deal of research has been conducted over the past several years surrounding the topics of wealth, legacy, inheritance and family values. More than ever before, people are expressing that the intangible assets in their life such as character, faith, morals and life lessons are dramatically more important than their tangible or financial assets. Yet they also admit that they haven’t done a satisfactory job of integrating these intangible assets into their planning efforts … and they want to.

If you would like to integrate the intangible assets of character, faith, morals and life lessons into your planning efforts, our LifeSpan Planning Process™ provides the perfect platform. Then our Wealth Reception Planning™ programs, Bridge Builder Program™ and Family Education Program™ provide you essential assistance in these critically important efforts.

We encourage our clients to participate actively in their planning and commit to the lifelong process of carrying out their goals and objectives. Like the old adage “a stitch in time saves nine” LifeSpan™ planning generally costs less overall than traditional, reactive methods of will or living trust planning, but at the same time delivers significantly better results for you and your family.

If you reside in Illinois or Missouri, we invite you to become a client of our firm. Check us out with no obligation by attending one of our client orientation Truth About Estate Planning™ events.

We offer no insurance or investments. We like to cooperate with your existing, trusted financial professionals to ensure that your financial tools and strategies will support your real-life estate planning goals and objectives.

Get to know us

The Team

Your estate planning professionals are going to serve a special role in your life. Estate planning is an incredibly personal matter. Your planning team will learn about your hopes, concerns, goals, and dreams. There may be tears and laughter, grins and groans, as you open up about your future, your family, your fears, your faith, and your finances. Choose carefully. Our team would like the opportunity to earn your trust.

Curt Ferguson

Attorney & Counsellor at Law

Sam Collins

Attorney & Counsellor at Law

Marcus Collins

Attorney & Counsellor at Law

Sarah Rupe

Client Services Coordinator

Sherry French

Funding Coordinator

Lauren Woodward

Settlement Coordinator

Olivia Davis

Receptionist & Funding Support

Brent LeClere

Legal Assistant

Kristin Donoho

Receptionist & Funding Support

Laura Ferguson

Traveling Administrator

Estate planning professionals you can trust

What we believe

At The Estate Planning Center, we believe that a disciplined planning process is the only reliable way to bring about desired results. Other attorneys have suggested that we are a bit “unusual.” We invite you to judge for yourself as you consider some of our core values:

We believe in telling the Truth. Always. With compassion and care but never compromise. We won’t tell you what you want to hear if it isn’t true. We want all of our clients to have true peace of mind … and we refuse to let you have a false sense of security!
We believe clients should make their own decisions and that those decisions must be based on accurate and complete information. We will risk our time without compensation to assure that clients are making informed decisions, and we will not facilitate a decision based on half-truths … or even mere ignorance. (Check out our Educational Programs.)
We believe estate planning is not about documents—it is about results. People don’t care if they get a will, a trust or a widget—they want a result! Our sole aim is assuring that you get your desired result. When we understand the results you seek, we will advise you of the steps and provide you the tools, including documents, needed to achieve those results.
We believe in family values, religious values, and the importance of carrying on family heritages and traditions. For clients who so desire, we go far beyond customary legal planning practices to help assure that yours are supported, respected and advanced if you so desire. (Review our Wealth Reception Planning™ menu items.)
We believe in the Golden Rule. We treat others as we want to be treated. We do not recommend planning tools for clients that we do not use for our own families.
We believe and prove that people can spend less while getting better results than traditional estate planning has delivered. By equipping you with knowledge and understanding, and preparing your loved ones for the role they will play, we help you lower the costs associated with wealth transfer while providing more beneficial results. (See the Practical Proactive Planning menu items)
We believe that being proactive—planning ahead and anticipating problems before they arise—and active is always better than being reactive and passive—letting “stuff” happen and cleaning up the disaster afterwards. Some lawyers enjoy making a living from cleaning up messes; we take pride in our ability to prevent them!
We believe that if we are more committed to your plan than you are, your plan will almost certainly fail to meet your expectations.
We believe that Estate Planning is a process that begins when you decide you care about the results you can accomplish, and does not end until all of your goals have been fulfilled. Most clients’ goals go beyond the mere “transfer” of their estate; even their heirs will continue fulfilling the estate planning. Our assistance and advice in the process reduces the professional fees for most families.
And last but not least … we believe that the process produces the results™!

Testimonials

What People Say

At the Estate Planning Center, we value our clients’ feedback.
Take a look at what some have said about us.

“LifeSpan™ is a very professional, critically important way, and most user friendly. It is conducted by a highly qualified and client-centered staff who are very compassionate and caring.”

LifeSpan™ Client since 2003

Christian County, Illinois

"The attorneys at Estate Planning are exceptionally knowledgeable on current tax laws. The entire process was thoroughly explained – We have peace of mind, giving confidence going forward. And we appreciate the review process allowing necessary amendments if & when laws change."

LifeSpan™ Client since 2020

Customer

"After my husband observed what his dad was preparing for his mother when he died, he decided to do the same thing. Being sure that he had a Family Trust took away worries about who would get what and when. Using the same Estate Planning Center, my husband did the same for us. What a blessing this has been for me. It has taken almost 100% of the stress dealing with finances, insurances, stocks, etc. away from me. The guidance given to me after my husband’s death has been remarkable. A real God send to us! Thank you!"

LifeSpan™ Client since 2003

Macon County, Illinois

The Estate Planning Center has provided me with a personal, detail-oriented, effective plan that I feel confident about in these times of such uncertainty. Their organization, efficiency & personal touch in planning is unlike any I’ve seen before & sets the bar for service organizations.

LifeSpan™ client since 2010

marion county, IL