Death is inevitable for everybody, but the uncertainty lies in the matter of when. The saying does say that death comes like a thief in the night, when you least expect it, or when you may not even be ready for it. While you can’t control when it’s going to come, you can control the effects of your death. One of these has to do with the management of your estate.
The estate of a deceased person refers to all of the assets that they own at the time of their death. These are generally left to the heirs. But, there are instances when the handing down of these assets get more complicated when heirs contest each other’s shares, especially when there are quite a number of assets to be dived, to quite a lot of heirs.
To avoid tricky situations and family problems in the future, a prudent way is to plan your estate ahead of time. The best person that can help you with it is an estate planning lawyer from the Law Office Of Libby Banks. Because you’re leaving such an important responsibility in the hands of this lawyer, it’s also of paramount importance that you’re working with the best.
That said, here are some guidelines in choosing an estate planning attorney:
1. Understand The Specific Tasks Of The Attorney
One of the first tips for you to have in mind when choosing an estate planning attorney is to have an in-depth understanding of what it is that this kind of lawyer should do for you. When you have so many options to choose from, this is one way for you to narrow down your possibilities. You can have your checklist as to whether or not each possible choice can commit to the responsibility that they have towards your estate planning process.
Note that the primary purpose of an estate plan is for you to have full control over the proper distribution of your assets in the time of your death. So, a good estate planning attorney should take the time to get to know more about you, the particulars of your family, and other intricacies, to ensure that all of these are addressed in your estate plan in the best manner possible.
2. Ask About Their Field Of Specialization
As much as possible, you’ll also want to choose that lawyer that specializes in estate planning. This advice may seem like an obvious one, but remember, many lawyers work as a jack of all trades. While estate planning isn’t their area of specialization, because of their knowledge in the field of law, they are still qualified to do this.
Keep in mind, however, that a better option would always be that lawyer who works with estate plans as their bread and butter. When they spend their days working on that specifically, then you know they’ve mastered the essentials of estate plans from A to Z.
3. Observe Whether Or Not The Attorney Asks You Questions
Estate planning is a very personal process. One client will always have different familial situations as that of another. For instance, client A may have four children that are all legitimate and recognized. That makes the task easy for the estate planning lawyer. But, on the one hand, client B has three legitimate children, one adopted child, and two illegitimate children. This makes the process trickier. Hence, a good estate planning lawyer should take the time to get to know every client in detail.
One good way for the lawyer to do this is by asking the right questions. Observe how the attorney that you’re dealing with asks questions. If they don’t, then that should be a red flag for you. It only shows that they’re not interested in making the best possible estate plan for you.
4. Obtain Referrals
Another fail-proof way for you to choose an estate planning attorney is to ask for referrals. If you’ve got family or friends whom you know to have recently hired one, phone them. Take the time to ask for suggestions, references, and feedback. If you have particular attorneys in mind, also ask if they know anything about that lawyer.
When you ask for the personal recommendations of friends, you know that they’re never going to suggest anyone that they know will only be a headache for you. So, it’s like having that assurance early on that the lawyer you’ll be dealing with is indeed the right choice.
Conclusion
With all these tips in mind, now you’re one step closer to finding the best estate attorney for you. There’s no longer that worry of potentially drafting a wrong estate plan or meeting problems in the future. You know that each heir will indeed have what is rightfully theirs. Because these estate planning lawyers have the proper legal background, potential mistakes are also avoided. Now all that’s left for you to do is to give that estate planning lawyer a call.
Comments 20
I heard that my boss is looking for a way to ensure that his child’s future is secured even if something happens to him. I like how an estate planning lawyer can help him plan out which of his assets would go straight to his daughter upon reaching a certain age. I will talk to him about wills when we meet again!
Thanks for the reminder that it’s crucial to ask a lawyer about their specialization first and foremost. I’m interested in looking for a good estate planning attorney soon because I’m thinking about getting some preparations done for my retirement. That’s still a long way to go so it would be better for me to take my time and not rush this process.
You make a great point about getting personal recommendations with friends. I need to get an attorney to write my will. I’ll have to hire someone with good online reviews to help me.
I like that this post shared that it is important to ensure that we have a will drawn up in the event of a death. That way it ensures that our estate and family will be managed. I will look into working with an attorney to have my will drawn out.
I agree with your advice to look for a lawyer that actually works in estate planning, rather than hiring a lawyer that has his hands in everything. This is great advice. My parents are retiring this year and they have come to us for help in estate planning. We suggested that they first find a lawyer to help. They have several properties which makes it complicated enough to necessitate a high-quality service.
Great tip about making sure you have a lawyer to draft an estate plan. I want to write my will before I die. I’ll have to consider hiring a lawyer to write it this month.
It really helped when you talked about estate planning lawyers and how to identify a professional one! Recently, my parents said they want to update and improve their estate planning documents. I believe my parents could benefit from working with an attorney, so I’ll be sure to suggest it! Thanks for the advice on checking a lawyer’s past cases and field.
You made a great suggestion to ask friends or family who have recently hired a lawyer for referrals. My dad is hoping to hire an estate planning lawyer to help with his will and trusts. I will suggest that he speak with his friends who have recently planned their estate and get their advice of a great lawyer to hire.
It was helpful when you said to understand their specific tasks. My parents need to find an estate planning attorney. I’ll make sure to pass these tips along to them as they search for one to hire.
You made a good point when you said that I should get personal recommendations from my friends when looking for an attorney to hire. That’s because they would never recommend someone who will only be a headache for you. This is a great tip for me since I plan to hire an estate planning attorney for me and my husband soon. Thanks for this.
Thanks for the tip to know the specific tasks your attorney will handle. I don’t want to not do something thinking they’ll do it. I’d rather know ahead of time so everything gets done.
My dad would like to hire an estate planning lawyer that will be able to help him come up with a Will because he believes that this will prevent us from experiencing a probate case. Well, you made a pretty good point that he must opt for a layer that specializes in this type of case. I also agree with you that a good lawyer will surely ask the right questions to their clients.
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My father asked me to find him a lawyer who can guide him with drafting his will and estate. Since he is planning to retire soon at the age of 57, he thinks it would be best to have it drafted in case he dies from a disease or an accident. With that in mind, I shall then follow your advice to ask for referrals from friends and other family members.
My husband and I have been thinking about hiring an estate planning attorney, and we are looking for advice to choose one wisely. I’m glad that you talked about the importance of choosing one that specializes in the area and has great referrals. We will definitely follow your advice and make sure we do deep research to choose the best-referred lawyer.
I like how you said that an estate planning lawyer can help avoid tricky situations and family problems once you pass away. I don’t want my kids to ever get in a sticky situation because I failed to plan ahead. I’ll look for an estate planning attorney and see if my wife and I can make an effective plan in case we pass away unexpectedly.
Thanks for helping me out. I just recently started setting up an estate plan for my husband and I. I didn’t know too much about it, and your article had some great information.
I agree, in having an estate planning choose a trustworthy, well organized, and knowledgeable attorney. Thanks for giving us additional information.
When seeking legal advice, finding a knowledgeable, competent attorney is extremely important. This guide really helps a lot. Thank you so much!
My dad was driving home from golfing about a week ago, and he got in a really bad car crash. This incident made him realize that he needs to have his estate plan ready for when he passes away. Thank you for explaining that my dad should look for an attorney who asks questions and takes time to understand his situation so that the estate plan will be as detailed as possible.