Harrod Law Tells Everything You Need to Know About Estate Planning

For many, estate planning is the assurance that their legacy goes beyond themselves. Even with a gradually evolving landscape, estate law still requires the touch of a professional like Harrod Law. As a law firm specializing in estate planning, Harrod Law’s mission is to guide individuals through the process of organizing their assets and securing the future for themselves and their loved ones. Crucial documents like wills, trusts, and powers of attorney can all help make the process of estate delegation go over without a hitch, but only if done right. Harrod Law’s personal, one-on-one approach is reflective of their emphasis toward ongoing support, assisting clients in reviewing and updating their estate plans as circumstances evolve both in their personal lives and in the field of estate law. Matt Harrod, who has been personally navigating estate law for decades, speaks to the process of leaving the right legacy for his clients, their worries, and the measures taken to protect what’s left behind.

How does estate planning usually work?

It’s our responsibility to find out what is truly important to the client and what specifics they would like to see in their plan. For example, clients may want some things to go to their grandchildren, but not their immediate children, or perhaps they want to ensure that a pet is well taken care of once they’re gone. The client will fill out an intake form and be offered a free meeting with me where we lay bare all of the measures we can take to meet their needs. We find that nearly everything a client may say they want is achievable through proper documentation. From there, we can start digging down deeper into their priorities and worries to start coming up with a gameplan on how to meet their needs and overcome any projected obstacles. At Harrod Law, we ensure that the client is clearly shown every step of the process; every hurdle and every win.

In what ways has estate law evolved in recent years, and how has your firm adapted to these changes?

In 2025, you can now get an estate plan online without ever having talked to an attorney. While that may work for some clients, in most instances it won’t. Setting up your trust online offers no resources to avoid probate. If your trust does go to probate, and isn’t properly funded, then you’ve wasted your time and money in setting up the trust because it’s useless and did not accomplish its purpose. Additionally, while we embrace technology to manage our business, utilizing recent advancements in AI doesn’t appeal to any firm that shares our value for the personal approach we give our clients.

What’s the biggest myth in estate law?

The biggest myth is that if you have a will, nothing has to go to probate. Probate is a court case that is opened if you pass away with any assets in your individual name that do not have a beneficiary attached to it. So if you own a home or have a checking account that is only in your name and you pass away, it will have to go through probate to be able to pass it onto your beneficiaries, even if that beneficiary is your spouse or kids. So a will in and of itself does not avoid probate.

How can an individual have confidence in their estate planning?

I’m big on education, giving clients access to our resources directly, as well as a dedication to answer client questions as soon as possible. I want to make sure that the client makes an educated decision when they choose what type of estate plan they want. Since my firm values communication, we ensure that our clients have immediate access to their attorney’s personal contact information. Clients are shocked with how quickly I get back to them when they send me an email, even if I am on vacation.

HARROD LAW
145 Hilden Rd, Suite 105
Ponte Vedra, FL 32081
(904) 373-6665
www.mattharrod.com