Estate planning is an important way of preparing for the future. With the right estate plan, you can ensure that your assets are preserved, and that they pass to your desired heirs and beneficiaries. Additionally, estate planning allows you to make important decisions about guardianship for your children, and about your own healthcare wishes.
But if estate planning is important, it’s also highly delicate. Getting even a single legal detail wrong, or putting a signature in the wrong place, can completely change the intent of your will. That’s why it’s so important to work with a will and trust attorney, who can help ensure your wishes are carried out exactly.
Reasons to Hire a Wills and Trusts Lawyer
Some specific reasons why it’s wise to hire a wills trusts and estates attorney, as opposed to doing your estate planning solo:
1) State laws are highly variable.
Every state has its own stipulations about what your estate plan can and can’t say. For example, the state regulates what you’re allowed to place within a will or trust. And, the state determines who may serve as your trustee or personal representative.
In other words, estate planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s highly variable. To make sure you get all the details right, you’ll need a wills and trusts lawyer with a high level of local experience.
2) Online forms and guides aren’t always reliable.
The alternative to hiring a wills trusts and estates attorney is to do all your estate planning yourself, likely by using forms you find on the Internet.
This is a classic “you get what you pay for” scenario. Yes, these forms are free. But they are not always reliable, nor do they offer you the strategic nuance you need to achieve your estate planning goals. And if you pick the wrong form, it could make a difference of thousands of dollars somewhere down the road.
3) Advanced estate planning attorneys can help with complicated situations.
To be fair, some individuals have very straightforward estate planning needs. But a majority of people actually have fairly complex needs, which require thoughtful solutions from an experienced living wills lawyer. Some examples of these complex situations include:
- You’re in a second (or third, or fourth) marriage
- You own a business (or multiple businesses)
- You own real estate in multiple states
- You have children or other family members who are disabled
- You’re recently divorced
- You’ve recently lost your spouse
- You have substantial assets in a retirement account, such as an IRA or 401(k)
If you fall into any of these categories, you likely need the attentiveness that only a seasoned living wills lawyer can provide.
4) A Will and Trust attorney can help you do a lot more than just fill out forms.
Keep in mind that adequate estate planning isn’t simply a matter of completing the right forms. There are a number of important strategic considerations, and a skilled living trust attorney can walk you through them. Some examples include:
- Tax strategy
- Maintaining the confidentiality of your estate
- Keeping your estate out of probate court
- Assisting with health care directives and powers of attorney
- Advising on who you appoint as a trustee
Again, it’s best to work with an estate planning attorney who has the skill to help you navigate these different issues.
Connect with Singh Law Firm Today
Estate planning is too important, and potentially too tricky, to do it on your own. We invite you to reach out to Singh Law Firm today. We’d love to tell you more about our services, and our experience in wills and trusts law.
