Estate Planning and Special Needs Planning

JD Beard Law PLLC

Welcome to JD Beard Law PLLC

I am James D. Beard, Attorney and Counselor at Law. With over two decades of legal experience, I founded JD Beard Law PLLC in order to bring compassionate, comprehensive, and client-focused Estate Planning services to the people of Charlottesville, Virginia and Albemarle County. My mission is to ensure that every client receives robust legal representation tailored to their family’s unique circumstances. 

My journey in the law was previously focused on working as an Assistant Public Defender with the Charlottesville-Albemarle Public Defender’s Office . For twenty years I was privileged to go to court every day and advocate for the civil rights and personal liberties of my fellow Virginians. My time serving in that role strengthened my commitment to justice, equality, and diligent representation. 

Today, in my solo private practice, I apply that commitment to guiding families through the complexities of Estate Planning, with a particular emphasis on Special Needs Planning. As the parent of a child with disabilities and complex medical needs, I understand how frightening it can be to contemplate an uncertain future, especially when a loved one has a disability. My goal is to empower other special needs parents to take some of the steps necessary to Shape the Future for the people they love. If I can make the future a bit less frightening for you, that would be enormously gratifying for me.  

I strive to make estate planning accessible and understandable, offering customized solutions that provide lasting peace of mind for individuals and families alike. My services include drafting Wills, Trusts, Advance Medical Directives, Durable Powers of Attorney, and Special Needs Trusts / Supplemental Needs Trusts tailored to safeguard your loved ones’ futures while preserving their eligibility for crucial governmental benefits.

Flat Rate and Sliding Scale Pricing

To make Comprehensive Estate Planning Services more affordable for all families in Virginia, I offer my services at a Flat Rate based on a Sliding Scale fee structure, determined by your annual Household Income (the adjusted gross income on your most recent federal income tax return). I am always happy to prepare documents for individual clients, whether or not they are married, but if you are married then it costs less for me to prepare documents for you and your spouse simultaneously, than it would for me to prepare documents for you each individually. Also please note that the listed prices are for Charlottesville and for Albemarle County. I’m happy to help clients elsewhere in Virginia, but I might have to charge extra for travel. Please contact me so that we can discuss the details of how I can serve your needs.

Household incomes above $160,000
Married Couples: $5,500
Individuals: $3,700

Household incomes between $80,000 and $160,000
Married Couples: $4,000
Individuals: $2,700

Household incomes between $50,000 and $80,000
Married Couples: $3,200
Individuals: $2,150

For household incomes below $50,000, please contact me and we will figure out a customized rate that you can afford. Please do not put off planning for the future just because it seems like an expense you cannot afford right now. At its core, Estate Planning is a gift from you to the people who you love. And I want to help you Shape the Future for their benefit. 

Contact Me

If you are ready to begin planning or if you would like to discuss the details of how I can help secure your family’s future, please reach out to me using the contact information below. We can set up a Free 30 Minute Consultation over telephone or Google Meet, we can talk about your needs, and you can decide whether you want to hire me. I look forward to supporting you through this important process.

James D. Beard
JD Beard Law PLLC
435 Merchant Walk Square, Suite 300-77
Charlottesville, VA 22902-6514

Phone: 434-218-5364
Email: [email protected]

A note on terminology: The disability community is not a monolith, and different components of the community have conflicting ideas about the proper wording to use when referring to people who have disabilities / disabled people. For example, some people advocate for person-first language (“child with a disability”) in order to emphasize personhood. Other’s advocate for identity-first language (“disabled child”) because they view disability as a core component of identity, much like gender or race. I am someone who uses person-first and identity-first language interchangeably, and I mean no offense when I do so. If you have a language preference, please let me know when you contact me, and I will endeavor to use your preferred terminology in all of our dealings.