Reasons Why an Estate Planning Attorney Can Help You

An estate planning attorney is an excellent resource when it comes to making decisions about your estate. This type of attorney can assist you in making your will, preparing your living will, managing your finances, and more. In short, an estate planning attorney helps you manage your estate after you die. These are some questions you should ask before hiring an estate planning attorney: How much do they charge? What types of services do they provide?

If you are considering a loved one’s estate planning documents, such as a will or trust, you might consider speaking to an estate planning attorney to help you make the right decisions. An estate planning attorney can assist you in creating a will, making a durable power of attorney, or setting up a trust. They can also provide legal advice regarding your state’s probate laws, executing a trust, and wills. Very few people can benefit from using an estate planning attorney alone.

Some attorneys charge by the hour, while others offer a flat fee for their work. Still, others may bill by the day or by the week. Generally speaking, an estate planning attorney may bill you for one-time meetings or assessments, but you should be able to get an estimate of the flat fee charged by the attorney before you agree to retain them. If you choose to use a flat fee, you should be able to obtain this estimate by talking to the attorney face-to-face, by obtaining a written description of how the flat fee is calculated, or by asking for their opinion after reviewing your estate planning documents. You may also find out if an attorney will be paid only after you have received a large sum of money.

Before you engage the services of an estate planning attorney, you should make sure that you are comfortable with them and that they are capable of managing your affairs in a professional manner. The first thing to look for in an estate planning attorney is whether they are licensed to practice in the state in which you live. It is also a good idea to ask for references from past clients. It is always a good idea to choose an attorney who has worked in a similar area of the law to where you will be filing your estate plan so that you can compare their skills and experience with those of your potential lawyers.

If you become mentally incapacitated, you may find yourself unable to handle the many things that an estate planning attorney will present to you as part of your estate plan. Because you cannot participate in every step of the process, it is important to have someone close to you in charge of taking care of your legal affairs. This could mean having your relatives or friends act as go-betweens for you so that you can delegate certain tasks to them and so that they can take care of any financial issues that arise during your incapacity.

Another reason why an estate planning attorney can help you when you become incapacitated is that they will be able to protect your assets during this period. During this time, you will likely feel that everything is already too much to handle. You might even feel as if you are being overwhelmed by all of the responsibilities that you are now responsible for. An attorney can provide you with advice and information regarding how to protect your assets and how to pass them down to your beneficiaries when you become disabled. Remember to do some research before hiring an attorney so that you know what they can do for you and how much they will cost you.

This article was written by Alla Tenina. Alla is a top estate planning attorney in Sherman Oaks, CA in Los Angeles California, and the founder of Tenina law. She has experience in bankruptcies, real estate planning, and complex tax matters. The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.