One of the most responsible things you can do is have an estate plan in place. While many people incorrectly assume that estate planning is only for the super wealthy, that’s simply not the case. Since estate plans include everything from the disbursement of a person’s assets to the way that they want to handle their end-of-life care, it’s important that everyone has a legal estate plan in place before they actually need one.
However, creating a legally binding estate plan should also involve the help of an estate planning attorney. Failure to hire an attorney to handle the paperwork can lead to your estate being tied up in probate courts for months or years after you’re gone. If you’re not sure where to start when looking for an estate planning attorney, make sure to remember these tips.
What Do Estate Planning Attorneys Do?
Attorneys who specialize in estate planning may be very active in probate courts and clearing up legal matters after their client has deceased, but their work actually begins much earlier. A properly created estate plan covers much more than who you want to leave money and property to after your death. It includes medical consent forms, life insurance forms, and several other pieces of paperwork that need to be filled out correctly in order to be legally binding.
Estate planning attorneys know how to file these forms in a way that helps keep your estate from being tied up in probate. The attorney that you choose can not only gather the forms you need, but he or she will also be able to walk you through the process of filling them out correctly, and will file them with the necessary offices.
How to Choose an Estate Planning Attorney
Obviously, there are new attorneys who start practicing every day, and many of them are wonderful at their jobs. However, when choosing your estate planning attorney, you may want to go with someone who has experience in the field. Again, this isn’t meant to discredit new attorneys, but if given a choice, opting for someone who knows the ins and outs of probate is a great idea. Every estate plan is unique, so choosing an experienced attorney who has worked with clients from different walks of life helps decrease the chances of your attorney running across something that he or she hasn’t seen before.
It’s also a good idea to shop around, as some estate planning attorneys charge more than others for the same services. Obviously, you shouldn’t simply agree to work with the cheapest attorney possible. Doing so may lead to getting lower quality representation. However, you also don’t have to pay top dollar for an estate planning attorney who is going to do the same amount of work as a more fairly priced competitor. Spend some time contacting different attorneys and find out how much they charge for estate planning. During those conversations, make sure that you find out exactly what their services include. Some attorneys may be willing to handle helping you file the right paperwork, but don’t handle the probate process. Make sure that you choose an attorney who provides all of the services that you’re looking for.
Having an established, trustworthy estate planning attorney in your corner to guide you through the estate planning process is incredibly valuable. Not only does it ensure that your wishes are met, but it also means that your loved ones don’t have to wait an extended period of time to receive the assets that you wish to leave them. If you don’t have an estate plan, today is a great day to begin the process.
