Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the AethosTrust platform, including our website, intake tools, educational resources, and related services (collectively, the "Services"), operated by AethosTrusts LLC ("AethosTrust," "we," "us," or "our"), a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Maryland.

By accessing or using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use our Services.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement to use our Services. By using AethosTrust, you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements.

2. Description of Services

AethosTrust provides:

• Estate Planning Education: Interactive learning resources to help you understand trusts, wills, and estate planning concepts.
• AI-Powered Intake: A guided questionnaire that collects information about your family, assets, and goals to prepare your case for attorney review.
• Attorney Matching: Referral to a licensed estate planning attorney in your state who will draft and execute your estate plan.
• Ongoing Relationship Management: Annual check-ins, life event updates, and continued access to educational resources (for active members).

AethosTrust is not a law firm, does not provide legal advice, and does not practice law. All legal services are performed by independent, licensed attorneys in your jurisdiction. See our Disclaimers page for more detail.

3. Accounts and Registration

To access certain features, you may be required to create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account
• Accept responsibility for all activity under your account

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or engage in fraudulent, abusive, or harmful activity.

4. Fees and Payments

Intake Fees

AethosTrust charges a one-time intake fee based on the service tier you select. This fee covers the intake process, case preparation, and attorney matching. Intake fees are due at the time of submission and are non-refundable once your case has been submitted to an attorney.

Membership Fees

Active membership includes ongoing relationship management, annual reviews, life event updates, and continued platform access. Membership fees are billed annually. You may cancel your membership at any time, but fees already paid are non-refundable for the current billing period.

Attorney Fees

Fees charged by your assigned attorney for drafting and executing your estate plan are separate from AethosTrust fees and are agreed upon directly between you and the attorney. AethosTrust does not set, control, or guarantee attorney pricing.

Payment Processing

All payments are processed through secure third-party payment processors. AethosTrust does not store your full credit card information. By submitting payment, you authorize us to charge the applicable fees to your selected payment method.

5. Refund Policy

• Before attorney referral: If you request a cancellation before your case is submitted to an attorney, we will issue a full refund of your intake fee within 10 business days.
• After attorney referral: Once your case has been submitted to a licensed attorney, intake fees are non-refundable, as the service has been materially performed.
• Membership fees: Annual membership fees are non-refundable for the current billing period. You will retain access through the end of your paid period.

6. Service Availability

AethosTrust currently operates in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and New York. Our Services are available only to residents of these jurisdictions. We plan to expand to additional states and will update our service areas accordingly.

We do not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free, or secure access to our platform. We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Services at any time with reasonable notice.

7. User Conduct

You agree not to:

• Use the Services for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Provide false, misleading, or fraudulent information through the intake process or otherwise
• Interfere with, disrupt, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems or networks
• Reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works from our content without written permission
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to access or collect data from our platform
• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity

8. Intellectual Property

All content on the AethosTrust platform — including text, graphics, logos, images, software, educational materials, and the overall design — is owned by AethosTrusts LLC or its licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may access and use our content for personal, non-commercial purposes only. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or license any part of our platform or content without our prior written consent.

9. Attorney Relationship

AethosTrust facilitates the connection between you and a licensed attorney. Once the referral is made:

• The attorney-client relationship exists solely between you and the attorney
• AethosTrust is not a party to the attorney-client relationship
• AethosTrust does not supervise, direct, or control the attorney's legal work
• Any disputes regarding legal services must be resolved between you and the attorney directly

AethosTrust does not guarantee the quality, outcome, or results of any legal services provided by attorneys in our network.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• AethosTrust, its officers, directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from or related to your use of the Services.
• Our total aggregate liability for all claims arising from or related to these Terms or the Services shall not exceed the total amount you paid to AethosTrust in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.
• We are not liable for any acts, omissions, errors, or negligence of any attorney in our network.

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Services are provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Services will meet your requirements, be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AethosTrusts LLC, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Services
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any rights of a third party
• Any content or information you provide through the platform

13. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

Binding Arbitration: Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in the State of Maryland.

Class Action Waiver: You agree that any arbitration or proceeding shall be conducted only on an individual basis. You waive any right to participate in a class action, class arbitration, or representative proceeding.

Exceptions: Either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement of intellectual property rights.

Opt-Out: You may opt out of this arbitration provision by sending written notice to legal@aethostrust.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. If you opt out, disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Maryland.

14. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

15. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Services at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Services ceases immediately. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including limitation of liability, indemnification, dispute resolution, and intellectual property) shall survive.

16. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

17. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Disclaimers, constitute the entire agreement between you and AethosTrust regarding your use of the Services. These Terms supersede any prior agreements or understandings.

18. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date and may notify you via email or a prominent notice on our platform. Continued use of the Services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

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