Did you know that more than 65% of adults in the United States don’t have an estate plan drafted?
If you’re wondering, what is estate planning, it’s essentially the plans for your home after you’re deceased.
You can organize these details and prepare your assets for children and family members ahead of time with the help of an attorney.
Keep reading to discover the most important factors when choosing an estate planning lawyer near me!
Table Of Contents
Identify Your Estate Planning Needs
One of the most common reasons people search for an estate planning lawyer near me is to create a will.
Estate planning will require a legitimate will that offers info about the powers of the attorney and trusts. If you’re dealing with a Medicaid issue or require long-term elderly care, this can also be handled while managing your will. If you are dealing with finances or homes from overseas, you may require a specialist to handle your case.
Writing down your needs and concerns will help you find the best attorney that has experience with your situation.
Research Local Options
Although estate planning lawyers can be found anywhere, you want to ensure you hire one from within your state.
Each state has unique laws about the power of attorneys and wills. If you are handling an estate that involves more than one state, make sure your attorney is licensed to practice in both areas. Gather a list of 3 or more options so that you have a few to examine further.
Online ads, newspapers, and local listings are a great way to discover your options. Start looking up info on these candidates to ensure they are licensed and can legally practice. You can check their websites and social media to confirm their experience, permits, and education.
Interview Candidates
Once you’ve narrowed down your list, you can start placing calls for in-person or online consultations.
Reach out to your candidates and set aside about an hour to talk to them. Depending on the attorney, you may or may not get charged for the session.
During interviews, you should ask about their experience and education. Their preferred method of communication and payment schedules can also get mentioned.
Knowing how your attorney likes to communicate is essential. If they prefer talking on the phone or meeting in person, but you’re busy, you may want to search for someone with more flexibility.
Don’t forget to ask who will be handling your case. Each attorney has their way of providing updates.
Discuss Fees & Expenses
If you want to find the best estate planning lawyer near me, you can’t overlook their fees.
Attorneys typically tell you how much they charge per hour before committing to your case. No matter what type of budget you’re working with, there are attorneys that can help. You can discuss the general fees and expenses during your first consultation or have the attorney email a pricing sheet ahead of time.
In most cases, attorneys charge an hour or a fixed rate for services. After speaking with them, you’ll both agree on the most suitable choice. This will also provide an opportunity to discuss accepted forms of payment and plan a payment timeline.
Other expenses may come up, depending on the details of your case. If you require a specialist, you should anticipate higher prices.
Ask for Referrals
Asking friends and family for estate planning and trusts attorney referrals can save you a lot of time.
Talk to the people you trust and see if they’ve already established their estate plans. Referrals are great when you get them from trusted people since they can offer more info on how well the attorney’s work ethic is.
It’s still important to interview candidates, even if they come highly referred. If you don’t know anyone with connections, you can make a post on social media or ask the attorneys for one.
Read Online Reviews
Online reviews are valuable resources when finding a law firm or professional to trust.
You can discover the true nature and success of the lawyer’s work from public reviews. When reading reviews, always check the posting dates so you don’t base a decision on outdated info.
Certain sites allow you to ask questions about reviews. Although you may encounter negative experiences, you can discuss the solutions with your attorney. The great thing about reviews is that many people provide pricing to help you guarantee that you are getting the services you pay for.
Follow Your Instincts
At the end of the day, you need an attorney that you can trust.
If you have a bad feeling about a candidate, even one that looks great on paper, you should consider your other options. Since legal expenses can quickly accumulate and aren’t cheap, you don’t want to commit to someone that doesn’t care about your needs.
You and your attorney should have a positive, productive, and well-working relationship. If you aren’t seeing the results you feel comfortable with, you can always find another lawyer. Citizens have the right to change lawyers at any time, and you can switch for any reason.
Finding the Best Estate Planning Lawyer Near Me
When it comes to hiring an estate planning lawyer near me, you don’t want to overlook any details.
Since you won’t have much say when your estate plans go into effect, they need to be concise. You can work with an experienced attorney to manage your will and any power of attorney issues. Interviewing candidates is the best way to get a feel of their knowledge and how they like to communicate.
Don’t forget to use the internet, attorneys often display their credentials on social media and firm sites.
If you want to learn more about estate planning and managing your assets, read our blog for the latest content!
