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| This page addresses some of the questions that existing and potential FlexDraft customers ask (or should ask). |
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Microsoft Windows What Windows versions is FlexDraft compatible with? FlexDraft is compatible with:
What's necessary to setup FlexDraft in Windows XP or Windows Vista Professional? If you use Windows XP or Windows Vista Professional, you simply need to install FlexDraft normally. What's necessary to setup FlexDraft in Windows 7 Professional-32 bit? If you use Windows 7 Professional-32 bit you need to install "Virtual PC"; then FlexDraft should run with no problems. Virtual PC was a standard part of previous versions of Windows Professional (albeit by another name) but beginning with Windows 7, it appears you must download and install Virtual PC from the Microsoft web site. In order to install Virtual PC your computer must support "hardware assisted virtualization technology." I don't know exactly what that is but, presumably, all PCs designed to run on W/7 meet this requirement, while most older PCs do not. So if you bought a new PC that came with Windows 7 you're probably OK; if you upgraded your existing PC to Windows 7 you might not be. Here is a link to the Windows Virtual PC web page, which provides additional information and lets you download the "Virtual PC" software for free. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/ What's necessary to setup FlexDraft in Windows 7 Professional-64 bit? As discussed above, if you use Windows 7-64 bit, FlexDraft will not run on your computer. If you want to use FlexDraft, you need to switch to either Windows 7 Professional-32 bit or Windows XP, or install FlexDraft on a different computer -- one that is running a W/7 Pro-32 bit or W/XP. FlexDraft, WordPerfect & Word With which versions of WordPerfect and Word is FlexDraft compatible? I'm pretty sure FlexDraft can be used with all versions of WordPerfect and all versions of Microsoft Word. I've only tested WordPerfect through version X4 but a few users say they've used it with X5 (and I know of know reason X5 would cause any complications). Likewise, I've only tested Microsoft Word through version 2007 (a/k/a "Vista") but several users say Word 10 works with FlexDraft just as well as Word Vista. FlexDraft Editions Express Edition The Express Edition includes Wills and revocable trusts with no tax planning, disclaimer planning, & marital/bypass planning, and "ancillary documents" (advance directives, and Declarations of Guardians for children). Standard Edition The Standard Edition includes features of the Express edition plus: second generation planning (a/k/a "GST planning"), 2503(c) Trusts, ILIT's (Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts) & irrevocable "Gift Trusts." Professional Edition The Professional Edition includes all the features of the Standard edition plus: client letters & memos, "exit" memos for ILITs & irrevocable Gift Trusts, and other documents as may be added from time to time. Which one is right for you; how do you choose? The Standard edition is the right choice for most users; when in doubt, that's what you should get. If you do ILITs and/or other Crummey Trusts with any regularity (e.g., 2 or more per year), the Professional edition makes sense. This is because in my view, the most important additional feature of the Professional edition is the "exit memos" for irrevocable trusts; without FlexDraft these can easily take longer to prepare than the trust instruments themselves but the Professional edition can prepare them in seconds. On the other hand, if you average less than 1 ILIT every 2 years, the Professional edition might not be worth the extra cost. The Express edition is the right choice for users whose estate planning drafting needs are very limited and likely to stay that way, e.g., attorneys whose estate planning practice has declined and/or who prepare simple Wills & trusts only. Personally, I believe the Express edition is not appropriate for young attorneys, or those who are new to estate planning or in the process of developing their estate planning practice. I realize that attorneys in these circumstances may select the Express edition because they're on tight budgets. True, the Express edition is cheap; but I believe its limited features would significantly impair any attorney's efforts to develop a worthwhile estate planning practice. The best way to make your choice is to try FlexDraft via the Free Trial and decide for yourself which features you want. Free Trial Edition The Free Trial Edition includes all the features of the Professional edition -- with certain limitations (e.g., clients can only have 2 children). Is there a free trial for the Professional edition? Yes. Existing users of the Standard edition can activate a 1-time 30 day free trial of the Professional edition (effectively converting their Standard edition into the Professional edition for 30 days). Payment & licensing How many licenses should you purchase? You must have one Attorney License for each attorney in your firm or section who will either use the software or direct a non-attorney who uses the software. You must have one Non-Attorney License for each additional secretary, legal assistant or other individual who will use the software. However, for each Attorney License, one assistant to the attorney (a secretary, legal assistant, etc.) may use the software without having his or her own Non-Attorney License, but only if the assistant and the attorney do not use the software simultaneously. Is there a refund policy? No. Once you pay a licensing fee you can't get it back. This is why you should get the Free Trial to be sure you really want FlexDraft before you actually purchase a license. (Accounting for refunds is just too cumbersome; I'd rather let you use it for free for 30 days than offer a refund within the first 30 days.) Is a free trial available? Yes. Use the Free Trial Order form to order the free trial. How long does a FlexDraft license last? Unless otherwise specified, all paid licenses are for - & include free updates for - one year. Is there a payment plan? Yes. All FlexDraft licenses are for 1 year but you can pay for your FlexDraft license in monthly installments, as follows: One initial installment equal to 1/6th of the total annual fee, due when you purchase your license; followed by 10 monthly installments, beginning 1 month later, each equal to 1/12th of the total annual fee. (Thus, your installments are paid 1 month ahead.) A service charge (currently $10) is added to every installment (both initial & monthly). You must pay by credit card and authorize FlexDraft to make recurring charges to your card. You may cancel your license at any time but all remaining installments for the full 1 year license must still be paid. Each monthly pay license automatically renews for another full year unless you cancel before the due date of the final monthly installment (i.e., the date 10 months after the initial installment & 2 months before the end of the annual license term). To obtain FlexDraft on the monthly pay plan download the FlexDraft Order form and complete the form on your computer, including the Credit Addendum, and select Monthly pay for your payment option. The order form will automatically compute the installment amounts. Is there an upgrade policy? Yes. You receive pro-rated credit for the time remaining on your paid-up existing license whenever you add additional users and/or upgrade to a higher edition. Your new license will be for a 1 year term commencing on the date you upgrade/add users. To upgrade your FlexDraft license, contact me and I'll compute the upgrade discount. |