PROBATE ASSISTANCE SERVICE BUSINESS PLAN
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I. Executive Summary
Company Description
Hearthstone Probate Partners was named to evoke a steady, domestic touchstone during family transitions; "Hearthstone" signals care and stability. We operate in the legal services sector, specializing in probate support and estate administration for grieving families. Our core offering is expert probate guidance and administrative execution delivered by licensed attorneys and certified probate paralegals, billed on an hourly, service-based model. We combine in-person counsel with a secure case management platform that provides document tracking, task timelines, and transparent billing to reduce executor burden and error. One-line: We simplify probate so families can focus on grieving, not paperwork.
Day-to-day we open matters, prepare filings, manage creditor communications, reconcile estate assets, distribute inheritances, and close estates using defined workflows and a secure client portal. What sets us apart is a tech-enabled, process-driven model that replaces slow, high-fee traditional law practice with predictable hourly service, real-time visibility, and dedicated probate specialists. We target U.S. personal representatives, small-family estates, and elder-law referrals in suburban and metro markets. Short-term goal: onboard 120 matters and reach break-even by Q4 2027. Long-term goal: scale to 12 regional teams and achieve 30% gross margin within five years. One-line: We deliver compassionate, measurable probate outcomes at lower cost and higher transparency.
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Problem
After a death, U.S. families must navigate a legally complex, paperwork-heavy probate process that imposes a heavy administrative burden on grieving executors. The process requires court filings, creditor notices, asset inventories, tax filings, and formal distributions, which many executors are untrained to handle and which cause stress, delays, and legal risk.
Current options are inadequate: full-service law firms charge rates many families cannot afford, while DIY approaches expose executors to procedural errors, penalties, and prolonged estate settlement. Families need an affordable, reliable alternative that combines legal expertise, administrative support, and transparent case management. One clear problem: accessible, competent probate support for everyday families is missing.
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Solution
After a loved one dies, families face a confusing, time-consuming probate process with legal and financial risk. We provide comprehensive legal support for probate administration—managing court filings, asset discovery and valuation, creditor notifications, final distribution documentation, and task tracking—through a secure case management platform and client portal so executors stay informed and administrators avoid errors and delays.
We convert estate records into court-ready inventories and distribution packages while keeping clients informed through a secure portal.
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide grieving families with compassionate, expert, and transparent legal support that turns the probate process into a stress-free experience so clients can focus on healing and honoring loved ones. We combine specialization, accessible technology, and empathy to deliver clear guidance and affordable professional assistance. We aim to be the most trusted probate support provider in the United States.
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Key Success Factors
Our success rests on focused expertise, transparent pricing, referrals, technology, and empathetic staff.
- Maintain exclusive probate focus
- Offer transparent service-based pricing
- Leverage funeral-home and advisor referrals
- Use advanced case-management technology
- Staff highly trained, empathetic team
Financial Summary
Fast-growth plan: Year 1 revenue $603,000 rising to $5,008,000 by Year 5; breakeven in Aug-26.
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Ratio |
2026 |
2027 |
2028 |
Projected Revenue |
$603,000 |
$1,259,000 |
$2,070,000 |
Projected EBITDA |
-$77,000 |
$307,000 |
$783,000 |
Expected ROI |
IRR 8.05% |
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Financial requirements: minimum cash $767,000; capex and setup costs funded at launch; team scales from 4.0 FTE to 13.5 FTE to support growth. Anticipated return: IRR 8.05% and ROE 5.38%; payback expected in 23 months from launch.
Outlook: profitable by Year 2 with scalable margins and positive cash payback within two years.
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Funding Requirements
We require USD 767,000 in cash to launch in January 2026 and reach breakeven by Aug-26.
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Categories |
Amount, USD |
Product Development (CapEx: office, IT, website) |
$75,500 |
Marketing (Annual budget, 2026) |
$45,000 |
Year 1 EBITDA shortfall |
$77,000 |
Operations & Staffing (covered by working capital) |
$0 |
Platform, brand and security build (covered by working capital) |
$0 |
Working capital |
$569,500 |
Total funding required |
$767,000 |
Projected Year 1 revenue $603,000; Year 5 revenue $5,008,000; breakeven Aug‑2026; EBITDA from -$77,000 (Y1) to $2,716,000 (Y5); team scales 4.0 FTE to 13.5 FTE; IRR 8.05%; ROE 5.38%.