Welcome to JD Beard Law PLLC
I am James “JD” Beard, Attorney and Counselor at Law. I founded JD Beard Law PLLC, a boutique law firm focused on providing compassionate, comprehensive, and client-focused Estate Planning and Special Needs Estate Planning services to families in 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 serving 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 to advocate for the civil rights and personal liberties of my fellow Virginians. My time serving as a criminal defense attorney strengthened my commitment to justice, equality, and diligent representation.
Today, in my solo private practice, I apply that same commitment to guiding families through the complexities of Estate Planning, with a particular emphasis on Special Needs Estate 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 the steps necessary to Shape the Future to benefit 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 the future for your disabled loved ones, while preserving their eligibility to receive crucial governmental benefits, like Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Flat Rate and Sliding Scale Pricing
To make Comprehensive Estate Planning Services more affordable for all families, I offer my services at a Flat Rate based on a Sliding Scale fee structure, determined by your household’s annual income (the Adjusted Gross Income on your most recent federal income tax return, IRS Form 1040, Line 11). I am always happy to create estate plans for individual clients whether or not they are married, but if you are married then it will cost you less to hire me to create an estate plan for you and your spouse simultaneously, than it would to hire me to prepare estate plans for each of you separately and individually. Also please note that the listed prices require that we conduct the signing ceremony to execute your final documents at a location to be determined within Charlottesville or Albemarle County. I’m happy to conduct signing ceremonies elsewhere in Virginia, but if that is what you request then the fee that I quote you will be higher than the fees listed below.
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 click here to contact me, or reach out to me using the contact information below. We will set up a Free 30 Minute Consultation over telephone or videoconference, we will talk about your family’s needs, I will quote you a price, and then 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.