A recent survey on estate planning showed that 53% of respondents said it’s difficult to find an advisor they trust. We understand how hard it is to choose an estate planning attorney. After years of working with many, many clients, we feel pretty good about knowing what makes a plan work and what doesn’t. We’ve also developed some ideas about what makes an effective estate planning attorney. We’ve carefully designed our unique process to overcome common pitfalls that can cause problems with more traditional estate planning firms.
5 Things to Consider as You Choose an Estate Planning Attorney
Here are 5 things we think your estate planning firm must have in order to help you create a plan that fits perfectly with you and your unique set of circumstances:
- Strong ongoing attorney/client relationship. Personal relationships that last for years help us to better serve your needs and the needs of your family. If the law firm that drew up your will seems disinterested in you, then you might need to look somewhere else.
- Knowledgeable law firm staff. Compassionate staff who can assist clients with asset titling and other vital planning questions are the foundation of our firm. Their passion is helping you! If you dread dealing with the staff at your estate planning firm, then you might need to look somewhere else.
- Technology. It takes cutting edge technology to maintain accuracy these days, even in the most customized plans. Our innovative use of technology allows cost-effective future updating of legal documents. That means more accurate information for you, right when you need it. If your estate planning firm is still using cut and paste to draft your will or trust, then you might need to look somewhere else.
- Constant education. Education is the foundation of knowledge and power. We are committed to continually educating our staff, clients, potential clients and the community through newsletters, workshops, free reports/workbooks, speaking engagements, etc. In addition, our attorneys attend multiple continuing education conferences every year. If your estate planning firm wants you to blindly trust them, then you might need to look elsewhere.
- Complete implementation. We see your plan through to the very end. We don’t just create a will, we create an entire estate plan, which includes asset titling, help with beneficiary designations, updating of legal documents and educating family members along the way. It is our passion and our promise to be with your family at every step. If your estate planning firm hands over a document and that’s the end of it, you might want to look somewhere else.
What Should You Do Next?
There are so many reasons to put off estate planning. Don’t lose momentum now! Take what you’ve learned from this post, and take your next step:
- Continue learning about effective planning on our website. Here are a few links to get you started — 3 Proven Essentials That Will Make Your Plan Successful and 6 Estate Planning Pitfalls to Avoid
- Attend an upcoming workshop. Our introductory workshop, “Getting Started With Wills & Trusts” is a FREE way to learn more about effective estate planning, and find out whether we’re a good fit for you. Just give us a call at 217-726-9200 to RSVP and let us know you’re coming.
- Give us a call at 217-726-9200 to set up an initial meeting. Read here about what to expect.
We know how easy it is to put off planning! That’s why we work so hard to make the first step clear and easy. Take one small step today, and we don’t think you’ll regret it. We hear from so many people after the planning process, “I wish I’d done that years ago! It wasn’t that bad. And now I feel so much better knowing it’s taken care of.”