Can an Attorney Help with Estate Planning?

Creating an estate plan is a big job. Many of these decisions must be made to make certain that assets transfer to beneficiaries properly. That is why finding the right estate planning attorney in this process is critical.

Cleveland Jewish News’ recent article entitled “Attorney can help with estate planning process,” recommends always having an attorney because an estate plan also prepares someone for their eventual passing.

If you use an online program to create a will or power of attorney, you may not be doing it correctly—and the laws vary from state to state. Thus, to make certain that your will is accepted by the court and everything would be handled as you intended, using the services of an experienced estate planning attorney is highly recommended.

A big problem that happens when a person doesn’t use a lawyer, is they may not fill out the will clearly, or specifically state their beneficiaries. If this occurs, the will must go through an extended probate process. That’s a judge-supervised distribution of a deceased person’s assets, which can take weeks even months.

When seeking an attorney, it is important to find one who best suits your needs, circumstances, and expectations.

In some states, a person can opt for board-certified attorney. That’s a sign that they’re working with one of the best possible estate planning attorneys.

These lawyers are extremely qualified, specialists in estate planning.

To become a specialist, a lawyer must satisfy several bar requirements. They must practice in the area of estate planning and have a substantial amount of experience.

These lawyers must take annual continuing education courses. They must also pass a test and have periodic recommendations from peers.

You want to be sure your attorney has the experience to prepare your documents, so your wishes are clearly stated and to avoid any problems after you are gone.

Due to the stressful and emotional aspect of filing an estate plan, it’s important to feel understood by an experienced estate planning attorney.

Reference: Cleveland Jewish News (March 17, 2021) “Attorney can help with estate planning process”