E.J.,
I just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how grateful and lucky I am to have met you and dealt with you. I remember the first I talked to you. I was at the nursing home where my mom was recovering. I was consumed with grief and fear and overall just in shock. You were so kind to me and took the time to listen to me and be my friend, although we had never met. I will never forget that. And though our paths may never cross again, I believe that some people were put into our lives for a reason and a purpose, crossing paths and enriching each other's lives. You are gracious and hardworking and I admire you so much. I am truly honored.
Thank you so much for everything.
With gratitude and warmth,
Julie
I could not have done this myself. EJ made the process easy and she helped me every step of the way. You really do need a lawyer and EJ is the best.
G.A.
EJ’s style is warm and welcoming. We never felt our questions or comments were inappropriate or irrelevant. She treated us with respect and consideration throughout the process. E.J. has a wonderful mix of knowledge, professionalism and warmth.
A.H. and T.H.
Besides being competent, E.J. was very personable and easy to work with. It was a good experience for me and my adult children. I would definitely use her services again.
H.C.V.
Very professional, fun, lots of energy, clear and concise, great contact. E.J. was great throughout the process and I know that I can rely on her. I will share with others and recommend E.J. The only suggestion for improvement is to set up an espresso machine.
D.J.
E.J. is wonderful. In addition to her deep and up-to-date knowledge of estate law and planning, she's professional and personable. Her warmth, friendliness, humor and responsiveness made the whole process so enjoyable. She was able to explain everything and answer questions in a way that made even the most complex issues easy to understand -- both for my husband and I, but also for my brother who is slightly autistic. Now all of us have the peace of mind that comes with knowing our wills, trusts, and health care powers of attorney are in place, AND that we have a trusted advisor to return to should any changes need to be made or other needs arise. I recommend E.J. enthusiastically!
April I.
E.J. is a very professional and knowledgeable estate attorney. She took the time to walk us through the complex process of setting up a trust that fit our family's needs. She fully answered our questions and has become a trusted advisor.
We highly recommend E.J. She took a lot of the guesswork out of the process and we're certainly happy we used her services. E.J makes every effort to preserve the attorney/client relationship and we fully appreciate her work.
J.C. and L.C.
I would definitely use E.J.’s legal services again. She provides a comfortable climate and she was willing to spend the time with me. She is very personable and I rate as “excellent” the overall performance of her law office.
K.M.
Winding up an estate from afar is a daunting task. I live on the East Coast, and when my mother passed away in California, I as the executor was uncertain how to proceed. Most fortunately, I was referred to E.J. Hong, and she has made my job ever so much easier than it otherwise would have been.
E.J. combines extraordinary knowledge of laws and procedures with high ethical standards and a compassionate understanding of the problems faced by her clients. She provides thorough advice, but doesn’t impose her will when reasonable alternatives arise. She performs tasks efficiently, sometimes breaking through barriers which bureaucracies erect for incomprehensible reasons. When I need assistance which can be provided more economically by others -- such as disposing of the deceased’s personal property or completing tax returns -- she recommends highly skilled professionals with whom she works closely to make sure the tasks are done well.
As we move through the process of winding up the estate, E.J. has not only proved herself to be an outstanding lawyer, but also become a good friend. I have recommended her to lawyers in my community who need trust and estate legal services in California, and I will continue to do so. E.J. is a gem!
S.M.D.
Besides being extremely capable, EJ Hong is also cost effective. In addition to being a capable attorney, she is ethical, discreet, and sensitive to the issues that inevitably arise in the preparation of a revocable living trust. EJ Hong is an impressive trust attorney whom I would strongly recommend to everyone I know.
J.P.
Like many couples, we dragged our feet on creating a will and a living trust, partially from not understanding the process, partly from dreading it. We were extremely pleased with EJ’s help on our estate planning. She combines extensive legal knowledge with the caring perspective of a parent – exactly what we needed to make some difficult decisions. If we had known how easy the process with EJ was, we would have done it years ago!
K.F. and P.S.
EJ - Thank you for making this process so easy for us. We really appreciated your quick responses, and your honest feedback and discussion about our options. You made getting our estate planning done very easy for us!
S.C. and B.C.
We found the experience with E.J. very efficient and enjoyable, which is challenging given the sensitive ground that the work covers. We definitely recommend E.J. with highest praise to others.
B.M. and A.M.
Very caring, very professional, EJ made the process as easy as possible.
P.G. and K.G.
Attentive, dedicated, caring. These are just a few of the qualities that set EJ above the rest. EJ truly made the process of getting our living trust put together painless. She listened intently, and translated our wishes accurately into our trust. EJ went the extra mile and helped us understand the complex pieces of a living trust so that we feel comfortable and confident that it will provide for our loved ones if necessary. And her outstanding customer service doesn't stop there.
Got a legal question? Give her a call. She'll help you determine what needs to be done and can provide referrals to other outstanding business people when needed. She is committed to providing honest and ethical services to her clients and it's evident in every document she prepares and every contact she makes.
V.L & S.L. – San Jose, CA
We used EJ as our estate planner. We had never done any estate planning outside of simple wills but, since we have recently moved to CA, we needed new wills and realized that we also needed more.
EJ very clearly explained the various documents that we needed. She interviewed us personally and brought up points that we had not thought of (even with our first wills). My numerous follow-up questions (both in person and in email) were promptly answered. She was very easy to schedule time with and worked with our schedules.
I also really appreciated that once the documents where done, she gave us a very detailed description about how to change our accounts to be transferred to the trust and what to do when we buy a house. I have referred to that document more than once when moving accounts.
I would recommend EJ to anyone doing estate planning.
N.P. – Palo Alto, CA
We were thrilled to have E.J. Hong recommended to us by a friend. We had known for years that we needed to set up a trust, but kept putting it off. E.J. made the process not just painless, but enjoyable; we especially appreciated her use of flowcharts and other visual aids to understand the process. We were particularly pleased by her knowledge of issues that affect same-sex couples. It only took a couple of office visits to complete the process, and we like knowing that we can contact E.J. at any time as our situation changes, or questions arise. We recommend E.J. without reservation to anyone who is looking to take the next step in their estate planning.
Christine and D’vorah – San Mateo, CA
I wanted a competent, qualified, knowledgeable, creative professional attorney to help my wife Geetha and me with our future. We wanted someone who will help our children and grand children with the transfer of our hard earned assets with minimum hassle and pay the legally minimum income and estate taxes. We wanted future estate administration simplified. We achieved all those objectives with EJ. We have found a compassionate, kind, family-oriented person in EJ, who fulfills all of the criteria we had in mind. So do call me at (818) 314-1029, and I will be glad to talk to you. This is not a just a reference; these are the facts.
R. Krishnan and Geetha
My husband and I had been putting off completing our living will and trust since our first child was born. Four years went by and we added two more children to our family and I was really beginning to feel the pressure of taking care of our living will and trust. I initially did some research with online Legal Zoom and perused estate planning home kits but with all the legal questions I had, these routes would not suffice.
My husband’s co-worker highly recommended The Law Offices of EJ Hong. I called EJ Hong and talked to her directly and immediately, I felt a small cloud lift from my head. She was so patient and thorough with all of my questions and concerns that I knew she was the lawyer to work with for my estate planning. During our first 1 1/2 hour meeting we accomplished so much and she provided us with invaluable legal information. We agreed on a fee for the completed estate planning. She is impeccable with her word and I truly appreciate that more than anything.
I recommended The Law Offices of EJ Hong to all my friends and colleagues. EJ Hong is a people person and she understands what’s important to her clients. One expects estate planning to be burdensome, but after working with EJ, I’d like to say it was time pleasantly spent.
Dr. Linh Dang, Chiropractor
To all of you who are retirement age or younger, I am strongly recommending that you meet with EJ Hong to set up an estate plan and a living trust. After meeting with our financial advisor and talking with our children we are convinced that an estate plan is very important because of our complex and constantly changing laws.
One meeting with EJ will be very beneficial to you. EJ is personable, friendly and very knowledgeable. She has chosen a career in estate planning because she believes what she is doing is important. She desires to help people that need her services.
Give EJ a call today.
Bob and Gerry Eaton – Palo Alto, CA
Now that I understand the process more (because of EJ), I can not stress strongly enough that people... especially parents, should set up an estate plan. It requires a little work on the front end but it is totally worth it. EJ has done her homework; she is incredibly knowledgeable and has her act together!! She makes the process as easy and as simple as it can be. To tell you the truth, I found the process with EJ enjoyable. She's fun to work with and fun to talk to.
This was our second time with an estate planner. Our first go around was 9 years ago. Our planner at the time had us fill in a few forms and he popped out some generic documents. Over time and with some added knowledge on our part we discovered those documents did not reflect what we truly wanted nor were they worded in a way to keep up with a changing (hopefully growing) estate.
EJ interviewed us personally and got a real feel for what we wanted. She is incredibly knowledgeable and was able to answer some very esoteric questions. She talked us through all of the aspects of planning our estate and brought up many points we had not considered, and she recommended areas that might need more (or less) protection to meet our goals. The package she prepared is outstanding and far exceeded my expectations. Now that I understand more about how money shifts hands and I see how these documents can be worded, I am shocked at the deficiency of our prior estate plan. She has prepared a package that affords great protection yet is flexible and will continue to be effective as our estate changes. I feel incredibly confident now with the plan and documentation EJ has prepared for us and I don't think we will ever have to modify our documents in the future.
Things to do before getting started... the hardest part for me was trudging around finding names, address and contact people for all of our accounts, insurance policies, etc. EJ had us fill out some pages online that helped us organize this information. Her website is clear and concise, and I continue to update and use her pages as my primary source for this information. The only other advice I can give is to really think about what your goals are and try to have an idea before the interview. EJ will help you hone your ideas. Some issues we discussed beyond the usual, "who do you want to control your money, care for you (if incapacitated) or your children" were: to what age do you want to support your children, do you want to pay 100% for college or do you feel it builds character to have them contribute, do you want to help with big ticket items like their first house, etc. With EJ's help, you can develop a plan for you and your children's future... and have the documentation to see it through even in your absence.
I would recommend EJ in a heart beat. The service you will get is knowledgeable, in depth, PERSONAL, and EFFICIENT. The "personal" and "efficient" are the key words that set EJ apart from the rest.
Good luck and have some fun with it... it's not as onerous as you may anticipate.
Ronni and Bret Kerrins – Palo Alto, CA
Estate planning forces recognition of our mortality. Resenting that reality is understandable, but failing to prepare for it seems cowardly and is inconsiderate of those we love.
You will not spend long in the company of EJ Hong before recognizing that she is not only astute about the legal strategies for achieving your objectives but is also committed to crafting an estate plan that reflects your wishes in every detail.
And you may be surprised to find that working with EJ on a task some might make gloomy is anything but! EJ's expertise, insight, non-judgmental responses to questions, and warm personality have this happy result: you will feel your affairs are indeed "in order," and this belief will confer a sense of peace.
With admiration and appreciation, I recommend EJ Hong.
Anne Knight, Writer/Editor/Writing Coach – knightwrite@comcast.net
Being in our early 30’s we thought we were too young to worry about having a living trust in place. However, with the birth of our first child we realized how important it was to ensure our assets were taken care of in the event we couldn’t express our wishes. E.J. was recommended to us by someone we trusted and after our initial meeting we built an instant rapport with her. She was patient with us, answering all our questions no matter how elementary, and she was thorough in going over all of our options. The entire process was quick and easy, within a few visits we were ready to sign our documents. Although our living trust is now in place, she’s still someone we feel we can contact any time with questions regarding our ever changing needs.
B.K. and H.K.
Recent events indicated that my need for estate planning was apparent. On a recommendation and subsequent interview with E.J., my concerns for such a program were met. The knowledge and talent of E.J. not only amazed me, but set in motion a friendship that I will always cherish.
Her ability and knowledge to see to my best needs set my mind at ease and her program for estate planning was definitely outstanding. I will and am recommending her to my friends and I know they will be as pleased as I was.
R.J. Novak – Redwood City, CA
I was delighted to have E.J. Hong recommended to me by a pastor of our church. My husband passed away last year and I needed someone who was knowledgeable and capable to settle our estate matters. E.J. Hong was the best person I found to handle this responsibility. She was efficient, capable and able to complete the transactions within a short period of time. I felt I could trust her and that she cared about my personal life and situation. Also, her fees were more within reason than others I had interviewed. All oral and written communications were clearly explained and I found her to be extremely well organized. She wanted me to contact her any time I felt it necessary to do so. That also was comforting to me. I would highly recommend her to my friends and family.
Joan Sprague – Los Altos, CA
My husband and I knew how important it was to have a Trust done, especially after our children were born but we just kept putting it off. We were intimidated by the potentially high cost, the cumbersome paperwork and the amount of time we'd have to invest to get it done. Luckily, we met with EJ Hong and she showed us that we had nothing to fear. We initially answered some questions on her website and then we met with EJ in person. She took us through the steps, one by one and explained everything in terms that made it easy for us to understand what our choices were and what they meant. Knowing that if anything should happen to us, our loved ones will not be burdened with making unguided decisions on our behalf gives us peace of mind that is priceless.
Her fee is fair, the paperwork was minimal and the amount of time we spent was far less than we had ever expected. EJ is very knowledgeable and efficient but more importantly, she's extremely personable. We highly recommend her and urge everyone not to wait to do this very important personal business. Do it for your loved ones and for your peace of mind.
Edward and Tracy Stewart – Palo Alto, CA
We were really pleased with E.J.'s work in setting up our living trust. To be honest, we were rather dreading the process of estate planning. We had heard that it was the sensible thing to do, financially, but didn't want to go through a lot of hassle to actually do it. Fortunately, E.J.'s process is very efficient and hassle-free.
Using a web-site to collect information makes it easy, and allows you to work on it at your own pace. When it was all done, we were pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as onerous as we feared.
E.J. is personable and knowledgeable, and was great at introducing the reasons and details for all the arrangements. She was very helpful in addressing any questions we had along the way. And, she was good at keeping the process moving while allowing for the time needed to collect the necessary information. Taking care of changing the deed on the house really ensures that you're immediately funding the trust with one of your most important assets.
Overall, it was an efficient, pleasant, and personable experience. We would gladly recommend E.J. to anyone who wants to go through the estate planning process.
J.T. and J.H. – Palo Alto, CA
I am very thankful for EJ’s dedication to helping people with estate planning. Before working with her to implement an estate plan, I had felt very uneasy because I did not even have a will. EJ was very helpful in moving me from uneasiness to action. Her online checklist was a great tool to help me get started. She responded quickly to any questions I had and gave me clear, detailed information about what I needed to do once her part of the planning was complete. I have confidence that any questions or changes that I have in the future will be handled thoroughly and conscientiously by EJ.
J.W.
EJ is outstanding in estate planning, very knowledgeable. She totally exceeded my expectation. We are very pleased and have confidence in the plan she did for us.
Grace Wu, Alain Pinel Realtors Broker Associate – gwu@apr.com
EJ is great.
She answers all your questions and more. Gives you all the help you need. If you do not understand she will explain.
Great to work with!
Israel Z. – Palo Alto, CA
These testimonials or endorsements do not constitute a guarantee, warranty or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.
