Pricing
Transparent Pricing. No Surprises.
We publish our fees because we believe you should know what legal services cost before you engage an attorney. Most firms in this space do not do this. We think they should.
Estate Planning Fee Schedule
| Service | Starting At | Typical Range | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Consultation (90 min) | $600 | $600 | Written assessment memo, personalized action plan, risk summary |
| Brazilian Will (Simple) | $1,500 | $1,500 - $3,000 | Will drafting, cartorio notarization, RCTO registry |
| Coordinated Wills (BR + US) | $4,000 | $4,000 - $8,000 | Both jurisdictions, US counsel coordination, conflict review |
| Full Estate Plan | $5,000 | $5,000 - $25,000 | Analysis, strategy, wills, structures, implementation, compliance setup |
| Holding Company Setup | $3,500 | $3,500 - $15,000 | Entity formation, contrato social, asset transfer, usufruct |
| Trust Impact Assessment | $3,000 | $3,000 - $5,000 | Tax analysis, Lei 14.754 impact, restructuring recommendations |
| Probate (Extrajudicial) | $3,000 | $3,000 - $8,000 | Cartorio process + ITCMD + notary fees billed separately |
| Probate (Judicial) | $5,000 | $5,000 - $15,000 | Court process + court costs billed separately |
| Annual Compliance Retainer | $3,000/yr | $3,000 - $7,500/yr | DIRPF, DCBE, legislative monitoring, annual review meeting |
| Pre-Immigration Planning | $2,500 | $2,500 - $12,000 | Full pre-move assessment, asset restructuring, tax optimization |
| Donation Planning | $2,000 | $2,000 - $8,000 | Strategy, ITCMD optimization, execution per transaction |
Initial Consultation (90 min)
$600
Range: $600
Written assessment memo, personalized action plan, risk summary
Brazilian Will (Simple)
$1,500
Range: $1,500 - $3,000
Will drafting, cartorio notarization, RCTO registry
Coordinated Wills (BR + US)
$4,000
Range: $4,000 - $8,000
Both jurisdictions, US counsel coordination, conflict review
Full Estate Plan
$5,000
Range: $5,000 - $25,000
Analysis, strategy, wills, structures, implementation, compliance setup
Holding Company Setup
$3,500
Range: $3,500 - $15,000
Entity formation, contrato social, asset transfer, usufruct
Trust Impact Assessment
$3,000
Range: $3,000 - $5,000
Tax analysis, Lei 14.754 impact, restructuring recommendations
Probate (Extrajudicial)
$3,000
Range: $3,000 - $8,000
Cartorio process + ITCMD + notary fees billed separately
Probate (Judicial)
$5,000
Range: $5,000 - $15,000
Court process + court costs billed separately
Annual Compliance Retainer
$3,000/yr
Range: $3,000 - $7,500/yr
DIRPF, DCBE, legislative monitoring, annual review meeting
Pre-Immigration Planning
$2,500
Range: $2,500 - $12,000
Full pre-move assessment, asset restructuring, tax optimization
Donation Planning
$2,000
Range: $2,000 - $8,000
Strategy, ITCMD optimization, execution per transaction
All fees quoted in USD. Payment accepted via wire transfer, PIX, or international bank transfer. Fees can be paid in BRL at the exchange rate on the date of payment.
What Affects the Final Price?
The range in our pricing reflects the wide variety of situations we encounter. A simple Brazilian will for a single property in one state is straightforward. A full estate plan for a family with properties in three states, a holding company, US trust coordination, and offshore structures is not. Here are the key factors:
- Number and type of assets — A single apartment is simple. Multiple properties across different states, plus financial investments, plus business interests requires significantly more analysis and documentation.
- Family structure — A married couple with two adult children is standard. Blended families, minor heirs, beneficiaries in multiple countries, and contested inheritance situations add complexity.
- Number of jurisdictions — Brazil-only planning is simpler than Brazil + US. Adding a third country (Portugal, for example, is common) adds another layer.
- Existing structures — If you already have a US revocable trust, an offshore LLC, or a Brazilian holding company, we need to analyze how these interact with the new plan.
- Urgency — Standard timelines are priced as quoted. Expedited work (urgent probate, imminent tax deadlines) may carry a surcharge of 25-50%.
- Compliance history — If there are unfiled FBAR/FATCA/DCBE obligations that need to be addressed, remediation adds to the scope.
After the initial consultation, we provide a fixed-fee quote for the entire engagement based on your specific situation. The quote covers all legal services. If the scope changes during implementation, we discuss the adjustment with you before proceeding.
What's Not Included
Our fees cover legal services — analysis, drafting, filing, coordination, and representation. The following costs are billed separately at actual cost with no markup:
Government and Tax Fees
- *ITCMD (inheritance/gift tax) — varies by state, 2-8% of asset value
- *ITBI (property transfer tax) — typically 2-3% of property value
- *Court filing fees (judicial probate) — varies by state and estate value
- *CNPJ registration (holding company) — minimal
Third-Party Costs
- *Cartorio/notary fees — R$500-R$5,000 depending on document type and state
- *Property registry fees — R$500-R$3,000 per property
- *Sworn translator (tradutor juramentado) — R$200-R$1,000 per document
- *Property appraisals — R$1,000-R$5,000 per property
- *US counsel fees (for coordinated wills) — varies by attorney
We provide estimates of all third-party costs upfront as part of the strategy presentation (Step 3 of our process), so you have a clear picture of total cost before committing to implementation.
Payment Terms
Project-Based Work
50% upfront upon engagement. 50% upon completion and delivery of all documents. For larger projects (over $10,000), we can arrange a 3-payment schedule.
Retainer Engagements
Billed quarterly in advance. Annual retainers can be paid annually for a 5% discount. Retainer covers all included services; out-of-scope work is quoted separately.
Third-Party Costs
Billed at actual cost as incurred. No markup. We provide receipts and documentation for all third-party disbursements. Estimated amounts are provided upfront.
How Our Pricing Compares
Most law firms in Brazil — and virtually all firms specializing in cross-border work — do not publish their fees. This makes comparison difficult by design. Here is what we know from our clients' experiences before they found us:
- Large international firms (Baker McKenzie, Mattos Filho, Pinheiro Neto) typically charge $500-$800/hour for cross-border estate work. A full estate plan can run $30,000-$100,000+.
- Mid-sized Brazilian firms charge $200-$400/hour or project fees comparable to ours, but rarely have the US law expertise to handle the cross-border component — meaning you pay twice (once for the Brazilian attorney, once for a US attorney).
- US-based international firms charge $400-$700/hour but often outsource the Brazilian work to local counsel, adding coordination delays and markups.
Our pricing reflects a boutique practice where you work directly with a dual-qualified attorney who handles both the US and Brazilian components. There is no coordination markup, no junior associate billing hours while learning your case, and no surprise invoices.
Pricing FAQ
Do you charge hourly or fixed fees?
We use fixed fees for the vast majority of engagements. After the initial consultation, we provide a written quote for the entire scope of work. The fee does not change unless you request additional services. We believe you should know what you are paying before the work begins, not after.
What payment methods do you accept?
We accept wire transfer (US or Brazilian banks), PIX, and international bank transfer. All fees are quoted in USD but can be paid in BRL at the exchange rate on the date of payment. We do not currently accept credit cards.
Are government fees included in your pricing?
No. Our fees cover legal services only. Government fees (ITCMD, ITBI, court costs), cartorio/notary fees, registry fees, sworn translator fees, and third-party appraisals are billed separately at actual cost with no markup. We provide estimates of all third-party costs upfront.
Get a Personalized Quote
Every situation is different. Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call and we will provide a specific quote for your circumstances — before you commit to anything.