Have you ever paused to consider what would happen to your loved ones and assets if an unexpected tragedy occurred? Even if you are young and healthy, an unexpected event can change everything in the blink of an eye. That is why proactive planning is essential.
There are significant decisions that must be made about how your assets will be distributed to your loved ones, and the earlier you do, the better you’ll be prepared to handle the unexpected.
By working closely with an estate planning attorney, you can thoughtfully answer these difficult questions, and even minimize tax responsibility, securing your loved one’s future and giving you peace of mind.
With a reputation for providing compassionate and comprehensive guidance, the Law Office of Vidhya Babu is a trusted provider of estate planning legal advice, serving San Mateo and the California Bay Area. If you’ve ever wondered how estate planning services could benefit you, this blog will be your guide on how to choose the right estate attorney.
What Are Estate Planning Services?
While many equate estate planning with the creation of a will, estate planning services are actually a range of legal services that dictate how an individual or family’s wealth and assets will be distributed upon their death.
Comprehensive estate planning services can not only help you strategically organize your finances and assets for distribution after death, but also make arrangements for your health care in the event of incapacity.
These vital documents are prepared by an estate planning attorney, who will work with you to ensure that all possibilities are discussed and addressed.
Some common types of estate planning services available include:
- Last Will and Testament: A common estate planning document, a last will and testament is a legal document that gives instructions for how your estate, including finances, properties, and other assets will be distributed to your beneficiaries. Wills are subject to a court process called probate.
- Trusts: Trusts are legal entities created to hold assets for distribution to heirs and beneficiaries. Unlike a will, a trust is not subject to probate court, and is used to provide privacy and may reduce estate tax burdens.
- Power of Attorney (POA): Legal documents that give a third party the authority to make financial and even medical decisions on your behalf, if you are incapacitated and unable to do so yourself.
- Advance Healthcare Directives: Also known as a living will, this legal document leaves instructions regarding your medical treatment when incapacitated. This can also include end-of-life care wishes.
- Asset Management and Beneficiary Designation: An estate planning attorney can help you organize your assets, and determine how they will be distributed to your beneficiaries.
- Tax Planning: The best estate planning attorney near me can even help you identify and implement strategies designed to minimize the estate and inheritance taxes that you or your estate may be subject to.
These are just some of the what estate planning services can do to help you preserve your wealth and estate for your beneficiaries and ensure an efficient transfer of assets.
Beyond Legal Documents: The Vital Role of an Estate Planning Attorney
Beyond simply crafting legal documents, an estate planning attorney offers their expertise and guidance throughout the entire process of estate planning.
Working with an experienced estate planning attorney provides:
Expert Legal Advice
Estate planning is a legal process, and working alongside an experienced estate planning attorney will give you access to their in-depth legal knowledge. This will ensure your documents are legally sound and enforceable, while guaranteeing that your wishes are met throughout the process.
Custom Legal Strategies
Your family’s needs are unique. By working together with an estate planning attorney, you’ll receive a customized estate plan that works to meet your family’s needs and goals most effectively.
Tax Strategies
If not managed properly, estate taxes can devastate the inheritance you plan to leave to your children and other family members. An experienced estate planning attorney can advise you of potential estate and gift tax implications, and help you implement a strategy to minimize these burdens and preserve more of your wealth and assets for your beneficiaries.
Help Avoiding Probate
Probate, the legal process of validating a will and administering an estate, is time consuming and costly. An experienced estate planning attorney can structure an estate plan that can streamline or avoid the probate process completely.
Help When Probate is Necessary
Some attorneys, such as the Law Offices of Vidhya Babu, specialize in both estate planning and probate. Working with an estate planning and probate attorney is beneficial in the event probate is required, you will already have a partnership with someone who understands your family needs, and will be able to help you navigate the probate process.
How to Find and Choose the Right Estate Planning Attorney
Choosing the right estate attorney is essential to effective estate planning. While it’s easy to hop online and search for “the best estate planning attorney near me” and select the first result, it’s wise to apply a thorough selection process to choosing the right estate attorney.
Here is our step by step guide on how to choose an estate planning attorney:
1. Ask for Referrals and Recommendations
When looking for a new restaurant to try, who are you more likely to turn to first – a trusted friend or an online search? The same logic applies to choosing an estate planning attorney. Ask your friends, family members, or even coworkers if they have recommendations for estate planning attorneys they have personally worked with before and had a positive experience with. Try to gather a few names, even those you find online, before moving on to step 2.
2. Research and Vet Your Options
Once you have a list of names, it’s time to research them. We recommend looking for an experienced estate planning and probate lawyer, as they will be able to offer the most comprehensive estate planning legal advice. Be sure to verify that the estate planning attorney you’re considering has an active bar association membership and is in good standing. It’s also always helpful to read online reviews and testimonials to gather additional insight into their process and how they’ve worked with previous clients.
3. Set Up an Initial Consultation
By step 3, you should have narrowed down your options to two to three names. Most estate planning and probate lawyers will offer a free initial consultation – take advantage of this. A consultation is an opportunity to learn about the estate planning attorney’s approach and get a feel for their demeanor and how they work with clients. Choosing the right estate planning attorney means finding someone who shows genuine care for your needs, and inspires a feeling of comfort when working with them.
4. The Perfect Fit – Choosing the Right Estate Attorney
Virtually every prospective estate planning attorney will have legal expertise, but it’s the little things that can make all the difference. Do they treat you like a person and show genuine care for your situation, or do they treat you as just another client? Do they answer your questions clearly, or do they speak in jargon that you find difficult to understand? A lot is riding on this decision, and the best estate planning attorney for you will make you feel confident and at ease, knowing that your family’s future is in good hands.
Bonus: Questions to Ask When Choosing an Estate Planning And Probate Lawyer
Before we end our discussion on estate planning legal advice, we’ll help you make the most of your initial consultation by helping you prepare a list of questions to ask any prospective estate planning and probate attorney:
- What is your background in estate planning specifically?
- How do you charge your clients for your services? Do you charge by the hour, or do you offer a flat fee for estate planning packages?
- What estate planning services are included in your standard plan?
- Based on my situation, can you explain the potential benefits and drawbacks of using a will versus a trust?
- How do you communicate with your clients during the estate planning process?
- What if my situation changes? How can you help me update my estate plan?
- Have you helped clients with situations similar to mine?
- You may even consider asking the estate planning attorney to provide a list of references from satisfied clients they’ve worked with previously.
These questions are designed to help you get a good idea of how the estate planning attorney conducts their business and what it would be like working with them.
Remember, choosing the right estate attorney is a big decision. Find one that makes you feel confident and comfortable that the process is in good hands.
The Law Office of Vidhya Babu: Experienced Estate Planning Attorney and Trusted Advisor
Estate planning is a deeply personal process, one that requires you to think long about the future of your family once you are gone. Many individuals find it difficult to think about these issues, but doing so with a partner you trust to secure your family’s future can make the process much easier.
At the Law Offices of Vidhya Babu, we are dedicated to helping you secure your family’s future with comprehensive estate planning services designed to inspire trust. We provide each of our clients in San Mateo and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with compassionate, clear, and comprehensive legal guidance.
We take the time to understand your family’s unique needs and goals, and will empower you to create an estate plan that works for you. We offer a complete range of estate planning services, as well as expertise in probate law, giving you a partner who will work alongside you throughout the entire lifecycle of your estate.
Whether you need a last will and testament, seek to establish a long lasting trust, or need guidance minimizing estate taxes, the Law Offices of Vidhya Babu is here to offer our expertise.
Contact the Law Offices of Vidhya Babu today for a free initial consultation, and take the first step in securing an estate plan that provides your family with security and peace of mind.
**DISCLAIMER**
This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult with an attorney to discuss your specific circumstances.