When Bob Pirner and his wife Connie began thinking about retirement and aging, there was the expected hesitancy. After all, who really wants to think about getting old, slowing down, falling ill, or the inevitable. Connie suggested they just go online and try to do it themselves, but Bob had heard of Doreen Seamon through some community efforts and suggested they talk to her. Both are glad they did.

"The first thing I’ll tell you is my wife Connie was very skeptical about the whole thing," Bob said during a recent afternoon conversation from his Barrackville home. "She wanted to get online and handle it that way." They finally decided to call Seamon Law Office for a free consultation. "Doreen and her staff were so well prepared," Bob said. "She asked questions about planning our estates that we had never thought about. "They planned it so well, with everything just in place for any situation that could arise. If it happens, we have a plan for it." Now Connie is Seamon Law's best "word of mouth" promoter, Bob said with a laugh.

Bob emphasized that he and Connie "aren't rich." "We're just middle class folks. Connie's going to retire as a kindergarten teacher (at Barrackville Elementary) in a couple weeks and I've worked in non-profits my whole life." Bob is director of development at Pace Enterprises, which helps developmentally disabled adults find gainful employment. "I think sometimes people think estate planning and wills are for people with a lot of money," Bob said. Instead, it's about peace of mind.

"It wasn’t complicated, it’s just things we hadn’t thought of it," Bob said. "We’re middle-class people, there’s not a ton of assets. My wife's been a teacher and I've worked in non-profits. It isn’t just about the money." Bob and Connie have three children and seven grandchildren, with the eighth on the way. "We wanted help getting to understand what we needed to prepare for as we get close to retirement," Bob said. "I think for a lot of people just thinking about it is scary," Bob said of estate planning. "People figure, 'I don't have much,' so they think there's nothing to do." Saying that illness or injury that lands one or the other in a nursing home could "quickly drain whatever we have," Seamon Law was "able to build a shield around it," Bob said. Seamon Law does an excellent job explaining the legal processes in place to protect residents as they age and prepare for their golden years of retirement.

"Doreen and her staff are so friendly and nice, they get you past that scary, I’m talking to a lawyer type feeling. "They talk about your situation and they know the concerns you'll have. They listen. They aren't just plugging you into their system. They are working for you." It's clear that Bob is "absolutely at ease," with the estate plan and wills they have in place, giving them the ability to determine how best to live out their lives, while also planning for their children and grandchildren's future as well.

"Doreen was so supportive, asked the right questions, and asked them diplomatically. You never feel like you have to be on the defensive. They want to do what's best for you." And for those that fear it could be a long, drawn-out situation, Bob said it was basically done in three fairly quick sessions: The consultation, a little longer second session to get into more details, and then a third just to sign the documents. "Trust me, it's not like doing your taxes," Bob said with a laugh.