It is estimated that almost half of the population of US who have kids never prepare a will. And this leads to countless conflicts and cases where relatives fight over each other for a share of the deceased person’s wealth. If you wish to avoid such incidents from happening with your assets, then you should definitely think of preparing a will. And for this, you need an excellent estate planning lawyer. Below, we list the seven things you should consider when choosing an estate attorney.
Specialized In Estate Planning
As far as possible, only hire an attorney who specializes in estate planning. There is a difference between an attorney who provides estate planning as one of their services, and an attorney who exclusively focuses on it – specialization. People who specialize in an area will inevitably have a more comprehensive knowledge of that field. This is why people visit a heart specialist instead of a general doctor when they have a problem with their heart. In the same way, lawyers who specialize in estate planning will be up-to-date with all the latest laws pertaining to estate planning. As such, they will be able to serve you in a better way and ensure that the documents are created perfectly.
Malpractice Insurance
You also need to check whether the attorney has taken a malpractice insurance or not. A malpractice insurance can financially protect you (or your beneficiaries) in case any legal mistake is made by the attorney because of which there is a monetary loss. Having a malpractice insurance is a sign of professionalism on the part of the lawyer since it indicates that they really care about their clients. After all, mistakes can be made by anyone, irrespective of how highly talented or qualified they may be. But going the extra mile and taking an insurance to protect the interests of their clients definitely shows the commitment of an attorney.
Speed Of Delivery
Sometimes, you may require the estate documents as quickly as you can. As such, the attorney’s speed of delivery is an important consideration. How fast can they deliver all the estate documents to you once the required information is provided? Be sure to ask the attorney about the same when you are looking for a quick service. Some attorney’s use automated software like Practical Planning Software which helps them to quickly prepare the necessary estate docs.
Professional Affiliations
Being a part of a professional organization is not only a badge that certifies that the person is knowledgeable in that field but also an indication that they do provide quality service. The organizations usually conduct training programs and seminars to keep its members up-to-date with the current information regarding their professions. As such, if the estate attorney is affiliated with any reputed professional body, you can be pretty sure of getting a first-class service from a lawyer who has extensive knowledge about preparing estate documents.
Fees
Different attorneys will charge different fees. As such, it is important that you have a clear idea of how much you will be spending as fees for estate planning. Now, you shouldn’t insist that the lawyer give you an exact quote since this is not possible as the fee will depend on the specifics of your case. However, most attorneys will provide you an estimated fee, which should give you a good idea of the legal expense you will have to incur in preparing your will.
Published Author
Most of the top-tier attorneys will have published content about estate planning. These can be books, articles in famous magazines, ebooks, and so on. Whatever they may be, the very fact that they have published something is good enough to consider them knowledgeable about the topic. However, do make sure to check the published content and how well it was received by the audience. For example, if they have written an e-book which has generated numerous positive reviews, then that is a testimony to their quality of knowledge.
Get Referrals
If you are unable to find an attorney on your own, then the best way to meet with a good lawyer is by asking your friends, family, and co-workers for references. It is highly possible that you will be receiving a couple of references from such sources. And since the people you love and trust have already used the services of these lawyers, you can be confident about the quality of the attorneys. Meet up with the references and you will surely find a good attorney capable of preparing your estate documents perfectly.