Are you looking to find an Estate Planning Attorney in Franklin TN? You should know the important things to look for in one. This is because your choice of estate planning lawyer can affect you and your loved ones after your demise. It could also be the difference between a carefully planned estate with a seamless generational transfer of wealth and a stressful probate.
To save you and your loved ones from present and future stress, below are some important things to remember as you shop for an estate planning attorney.
Main or Exclusive Focus on Estate Planning
Specialization comes with many benefits, including in-depth knowledge of specific fields and how things work in such fields. When shopping for an estate planning lawyer, you cannot afford to choose a non-specialist to handle your wealth and your family’s future.
It is important to prioritize law firms or lawyers focusing mainly on estate planning or those who practice it exclusively. Choosing such lawyers or law firms guarantees higher exposure and expertise in planning for present and future changes in family, assets, and preferences.
Experience and Reputation
Consider your estate planning needs as what will define your wealth and how your loved ones access it in the future. With that in mind, you’ll agree that you cannot afford to have an inexperienced manager at the helm of your affairs.
Shopping only for experienced estate planning attorneys with a solid track record is important. You should also look into the law firm or attorney’s reputation among peers and clients. Attorneys with a solid reputation have more to lose and will do their best to keep clients happy to keep their slates clean.
Relevant Credentials and Association Membership
You won’t go to a convenience shop to get diagnosed with health issues. The same level of seriousness should be applied when hiring an estate planning attorney.
It is important to confirm that the intended estate planning lawyer or law firm has the relevant credentials to boost their standing among the list of potential hires. Some important qualifications and credentials to check for include the state bar association, a certificate from the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and more.
You can also go the extra mile to check the local bar association directory for the law firm or lawyer’s name. This can help to easily fish out pretenders who may likely lead you astray.
Another important measure of the estate planning attorney’s genuineness is the types of associations they are affiliated with. High-quality and highly reputed associations are green flags that should be rewarded.
Offers Full-Service Estate Planning Solutions
There are many aspects of estate planning that could be fitting for you and your current situation. You could also need to make changes to your existing plans in the future based on family or income changes. Choosing an attorney that provides full-service estate planning solutions can save you a lot of stress.
With a full-service estate planning lawyer or law firm, you can rest assured that you’ll get all the help needed to create wills, trusts, and powers of attorneys as needed, asset protection, and set up guardianships where needed.
A full-service estate planning lawyer can also help with Medicaid planning and application, probate process, special needs planning, and estate administration.
Communication Skills
Communication is an important part of your relationship with your estate planning attorney. You should feel comfortable and confident communicating with them. You should also be relaxed, knowing that they understand your situation and have your best interest at heart.
If you don’t feel any of these, you should keep looking.
Transparent Fees and Billing
Transparency is one of the hallmarks of a true professional. Your estate planning attorney should have transparent fees and pricing for their services. You shouldn’t have to guess or recurrently confirm changes in their pricing structure.
As a rule of thumb, you should always choose an estate planning lawyer with upfront and transparent fees. This will help you to better prepare your finances.
Availability and Ongoing Support
Estate planning isn’t a one-and-done business; it is a continuous process that explores financial strategies to keep you and your beneficiaries comfortable when situations turn around.
Your estate planning attorney should have an ongoing plan on how your existing strategies can be improved at intervals. This ensures that your present situations and preferences, including births, deaths, marriages, changes in income, etc., are properly documented and planned.
Your estate planning attorney should also have the time and resources to cater to your needs. You shouldn’t have to deal with an unavailable attorney or meet new faces every other time you need help.
