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Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers, in one place.
Everything Ohio families and owners ask us most, about estate planning, business law, contract review, and what it's like to work with Costaras Law. Still stuck? Call (440) 613-0439 for a free introduction.
Before You Reach Out
Common questions, straight answers.
We pulled together the questions Ohio families and business owners most commonly ask us about estate planning, business law, contract review, and what it's like to work with Costaras Law.
Don't see your question? Call (440) 613-0439 or book a free 15-minute introduction. No obligation, no sales pitch.
Estate Planning
Wills, trusts, and protecting your family.
Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate, and the advanced planning that keeps a legacy intact.
No. Anyone with a home, retirement account, minor children, or specific wishes for their family benefits from a plan. The cost of doing nothing (probate fees, public court records, family conflict) almost always exceeds the cost of planning.
A typical plan includes a will, a revocable living trust (when appropriate), financial and healthcare powers of attorney, HIPAA releases, and beneficiary alignment across retirement and insurance accounts. We tailor every package to your situation.
Often yes, and the two work together. A will only takes effect after probate. A living trust skips probate entirely. For most clients with a home, retirement accounts, or rental property, the trust pays for itself in avoided fees and time.
No. A last will directs who gets your assets after death. A living will is a healthcare directive that states your wishes about medical care if you're incapacitated. A living will instructs caregivers on matters such as life-sustaining treatment, resuscitation, ventilation, and organ donation.
Most estates take six months to a year, and complex ones may take longer. Ohio requires a creditor claim window of several months, even for a simple estate. Avoiding this delay is one of the main benefits of a living trust, which allows your estate to bypass probate entirely.
It can if not structured correctly. A special-needs trust holds the inheritance for your child's benefit while preserving their eligibility for Medicaid and SSI. The trust can pay for expenses those programs do not cover, offering more flexibility and quality of life without risking their essential support.
Review every 3–5 years and after any major life event: marriage, divorce, birth, death, new property, or moving states. We offer flat-fee annual reviews for clients we've drafted plans for.
Business Law
Formation, succession, and deals that close.
Entity formation, succession planning, business disputes, and buying or selling a company.
Yes. However, many generic online forms miss important details, such as an operating agreement that defines ownership, decision rights, distributions, and what happens if a partner exits. We help form your LLC for you, completely and correctly, for your convenience and peace of mind.
Filing with the Ohio Secretary of State is same-day in most cases. The full package (entity + EIN + operating agreement + banking setup) typically takes 5–10 business days.
No. We focus on transactions: formation, contracts, M&A, succession. If you need a litigator, we refer you to one we trust.
Yes, and arguably more so. With no co-owner to step in, a sudden absence can stall payroll, lose key relationships, and leave your family with a business they can't legally run or sell. A plan names a successor or a path to sale and gives someone the authority to act when you can't.
Yes. We often act as the lead negotiator so your interests are protected while you keep a positive, professional relationship with the other side. Having counsel speak for you also takes the emotion out of the conversation and keeps it focused on a workable outcome.
Yes. We act for buyers and sellers on small and mid-size Ohio deals, whether you are acquiring or selling a business, its assets, or its equity. We can represent only one side on any single transaction.
Contract Review
Reviewing, drafting, and negotiating terms.
Small-business contracts, employment agreements, vendor deals, and contract negotiation.
Most reviews are completed within 48 to 72 hours. We understand that business moves quickly and we prioritize keeping your momentum going.
Yes. We often act as the lead negotiator to ensure your interests are protected while you maintain a positive, professional relationship with your business contacts.
Yes, but with limitations. Ohio courts enforce a non-compete that is no broader than needed to protect a legitimate business interest, and which is reasonable in duration, geography, and scope. We draft non-compete clauses to stay within these limitations so that they hold up in court.
An NDA protects your confidential information, so a person cannot share or misuse your trade secrets, pricing, or client lists. A non-compete limits where and for whom they can work after they leave. They solve different problems, and many roles need both.
Even a 'standard' contract has room to move, and knowing which terms carry real risk lets you decide what to accept and what is a true deal-breaker. We give you that clarity before you sign.
We quote a flat fee up front before review begins, based on the length and complexity of the contract. No hourly billing surprises.
Working With Us
Flat fees, fast answers, and one attorney.
How the flat-fee model works, who handles your matter, and what to expect from the first call.
We size the fee based on the deliverable: what we're producing, the complexity of your situation, and how many revisions we expect. Once the scope is set and signed, the price doesn't change. No mid-engagement "oh, that's extra."
Within the scope you signed, we keep refining until the final legal product is right. We won't charge extra for responding to your feedback or answering follow-up questions. If the scope of the project itself changes, we'll quote the difference in writing before doing the work.
Yes, an attorney handles every part of your matter. Nicholas manages the legal work and every decision on your case, from strategy through signing. Your first call may go through our senior paralegal, who gathers the details and gets you scheduled, but your matter is never handed off to a junior associate.
Yes, to help us work faster on tasks like research and document drafting. An attorney reviews all the work before it becomes part of your file. AI speeds up the process, but all legal judgment comes from a human.
A real conversation about your situation. You tell us what you're trying to accomplish or what's stuck. We tell you whether it's a fit for our practice, what we'd recommend as a first step, and roughly what a flat-fee engagement would look like. No sales pitch.
Most introductions are scheduled within the same week. If you call our office and we miss your call, you can expect a call back within the next business day.
Yes. Everything you share is protected by attorney-client privilege from the moment we start the call, even if you ultimately decide not to engage.