Updated Thursday, February 11, 2021
Supporting Our Clients and the Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Hello! We hope you and your family are well.
The pandemic reminds me how helpless we are to control certain circumstances under which we live. Estate planning is an aspect of your life that you can control, no matter what is going on around you. Control and the certainty that comes with it account in large part, in my view, for the calming effect of creating an estate plan.
We urge you to double check your estate planning documents and contact us if you have changes you want to make or have questions. If we have not seen you for a trust review in more than three years, then there are multiple changes in the law that may affect your planning, even if nothing has changed about who you want to inherit or serve as your Trustees, Executors, and Power of Attorney Agents. Failing to address these changes could lead to unintended and unwanted results later.
If you’ve been meaning to call us for a review or update but just haven’t gotten around to it, there is no better time than now. There is no cost or obligation to talk, so Trust Reviews are a great way to assure that your plan remains current and your planning is still appropriate.
WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!
Zimmer Law Firm is open for business! Our team is secure, and everyone is stepping up to go the extra mile for our clients. We will not let the pandemic get in your way of good estate planning!
We are prepared with safe alternatives for all the ways lawyers have traditionally delivered estate plans; to support our clients, and to help those in the community who wish to create or update their plan.
I’ll share the details in a minute. But first, an update on our current operations.
HEALTHY IN-OFFICE OPERATIONS
- We disinfectant all surfaces that staff and guests come into contact with, on an as-needed and daily basis, especially before and after consultations.
- We have Lucite partitions in our office reception area and conference rooms between our team members and visitors.
- We wear face masks when we leave our desks and interface with visitors.
- We frequently wash our hands or use sanitizer.
- Hand sanitizer is available in our lobby and conference rooms.
- We offer small packs of tissues for visitors in the lobby and in our conference rooms.
- We are keeping our distance to show you we care. Once personal meetings resume, we will greet you with a wave, bow, pledge, or “Namaste,” but sadly, no handshakes or hugs at this time.
- Team members who are not well are required to stay home. We ask that visitors stay home and reschedule appointments if they are not well.
- Team training on current CDC and State of Ohio recommendations for preventative health and safety, and team compliance.
- We are monitoring and are poised to adapt quickly to any guidance or requests from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our local health departments.
OPERATIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC
- Hours of Operation. Our business hours will not change. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Reaching us by telephone. We will continue to answer incoming phone calls live. If all lines are busy, please leave a message and you will receive a return call or email. Dial 513-721-1513.
- Electronic communications. You can email staff directly or use info@zimmerlawfirm.com. Please allow us a reasonable time to respond to emails, and do not expect an instant response just because email makes that possible. We check email periodically throughout the day and will respond as our schedules permit. If you have an urgent matter, please send an email coupled with a phone call, or just call us.
- Mail Service. We will continue to receive U.S. Mail and express delivery packages. We will check all incoming mail daily.
MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS
We’re not letting the pandemic get in the way of our mission – helping people gain peace of mind. Can’t make a scheduled workshop? Some of our workshops are recorded and available on-demand. Call or email us to check it out.
- Consultations. We are holding meetings virtually over the internet, using the amazing Zoom application. It’s almost like being in the same room together! We can also have consultations by phone, FaceTime for Apple iPhone or iPad users, or Skype. Not familiar with this technology? Call us – we can walk you through the easy steps. We are also holding limited personal meetings when virtual meetings are not possible.
- Trust Reviews. We recommend a review of your estate plan every three years, or sooner if things change for you or your family in the interim. We do not charge for Trust Reviews! The pandemic is a great time to schedule a Trust Review while your usual activities are curtailed. Since we can meet with you over the internet, you can stay safe. Call or email us to set a meeting.
- Electronic signatures of documents. We are certified by the State of Ohio for remote online notarization of legal documents. We have the means for you to electronically sign other documents by email. It’s as easy as clicking your mouse to electronically sign your name, and it’s authorized by state laws.
- Client Educational Workshops. We are known for our unique client workshops, namely our Trustee and Power of Attorney School and the one-of-a-kind workshop, “8 Deadly Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Estate Planning – How Clients Routinely Destroy Their Estate Plans… and What to Do About It.” Our newest workshop is The Critical Legal Documents Every Young Adult Should Have. This new program is aimed at educating parents or grandparents of young adults. We have other programs under development including “Now What!? Income and Estate Planning After 2020. Check our website and watch your inbox for a schedule of workshops.
- Getting Started with an Estate Plan. We are an education-based law firm. We believe the best way to make an estate plan is to start with learning more about the available options. We have produced hundreds and hundreds of workshops since 1993 about planning with wills versus trusts, about protecting estates from decimation from the high cost of long-term nursing care. During the pandemic, we are holding our workshops online, as webinars. In just an hour and a quarter, you will learn a lot of valuable information. People tell us that our workshops are not only informative, but enlightening, transforming their understanding of estate planning and modern options. Attendees will have an opportunity for a free, no-obligation Personal Consultation about what is important to you and how the principles discussed in the workshop apply to you. That’s a $400.00 value.
Thank you for your trust and confidence, and for continuing to be a client and friend of the firm. Our thoughts are with those being affected hardest during this time. I also wish to express my gratitude for the strong leadership from Ohio Government, the brave doctors and medical personnel who put their health and lives on the line to help COVID-19 patients, and our youth who are stepping up to help and be leaders. Thanks to all of you.
We remain committed to your Health, Happiness, and Legacy. Best wishes and stay healthy.
Barry H. Zimmer
Founder, Zimmer Law Firm
