How An Attorney Can Help With Your Estate Planning

Have you been considering estate planning? If so, please know it's much more than just having a last will and testament securely tucked away in your safety deposit box. The right attorney has the knowledge and skill to help you set up your estate in a number of ways.

For one thing, an estate planning lawyer's job will be to make sure your wishes and desires for the treatment of your health are fulfilled. In addition, he'll work to minimize any taxes or fees regarding your estate. He'll work to make sure your home, business, investments, insurances, 401K or other assets all coordinate if you die or become disabled.

You may think it sounds like an awful lot of expensive work on his part. To be honest, it may cost you a few dollars for the services of a good attorney as he must be skilled and knowledgeable in areas of wills, probate, trusts, and estate planning. Someone with this expertise will be able to give you superb and correct legal advice. Most times, the charges will be done on a flat fee basis versus by the hour.

An attorney is under the jurisdiction of his state's bar association. Some of which require annual education courses for him to stay abreast of current legal forms and rule changes.

The association will also encourage and even provide liability insurance just in case he makes a mistake or two. After all, he is human!

It's true it may be an added expense in your budget. But what you receive, his expertise, is worth many, many times what you might pay if you received bad planning advice. Most lawyers will provide a free consultation, and it's at this time you ask about his full charges.

If you think you can get around hiring estate planning counsel, think again. They are a necessity because state laws rule over every estate. You must abide by the law and the only way to effectively do that is with the assistance of a reputable lawyer.

Each state has laid down specific rules that apply to each of the above areas. Even as much as who you choose to be your personal representative. If you don't know these rules, you may make a very costly error. Even forms you get off the web may cost you a lot of time and money if they are deemed illegal.

It goes without saying that an estate planning attorney must definitely be the first person you seek when making future plans. After all, isn't your family and life worth getting the best help possible?