As you grow older, it’s essential to have a secure estate plan in place so you know your assets and family will be taken care of when you’re gone. This involves drawing up plenty of legal paperwork, which can be especially beneficial when hiring an estate planning attorney. These lawyers specialize in many areas of estate planning, including federal and state laws regarding wills, taxes, trusts, and power of attorney. In addition, you may especially need a lawyer if someone is likely to contest your will or your estate is otherwise complex. That said, if your estate is large, you’ll probably also want to hire a financial advisor who can help you manage all of your assets, investments, and other finances.
What Does an Estate Planning Attorney Do?
An estate planning attorney, Waltham MA, specializes in handling estate planning matters. These lawyers are no different from those who specialize in mergers and acquisitions or personal injury suits in terms of certifications. However, regardless of specialty, they still have to pass the bar exam for the state in which they practice.
The difference lies in the specialization that estate planning lawyers acquire through years of experience working on various estate planning issues. An estate planning lawyer’s duties can be wide-ranging, but they all center around one goal: to assist clients in preparing for the end of life and the financial legacy they’ll leave.
This assistance can manifest itself in several ways. Most notably, estate planning lawyers can help you write a last will and set up a trust. Your estate planning lawyer can also aid you in minimizing any estate or inheritance taxes. Once you pass away, they can also assist the executor of your will in transferring assets to your beneficiaries. Finally, should probate become necessary, they can help with that.
Additionally, an estate planning attorney, Waltham MA, can help you ensure that you’re prepared for end-of-life scenarios in which you cannot make your own decisions. This will typically involve assigning power of attorney, drawing up a living will, or creating any other kind of advance directive. A good estate planning lawyer can serve as a legal guide through all the aspects of preparing for the end of life.
How to Find an Estate Planning Attorney?
To find an estate planning attorney, you should ask friends and family for recommendations. Their personal experiences will be the best indicator of any attorney’s quality. You can also try getting a referral from your state bar association or a county or local probate court. Your financial advisor can also recommend one, as they typically have attorneys to whom they regularly refer clients.
A lawyer specializing in estate planning won’t necessarily have any special certifications or titles to distinguish them. Instead, they’ll refer to themselves as estate planning lawyers or estate planning professionals. Their entire practice may be explicitly focused on this specialty. They may also discuss the areas within estate planning they have experience in.
Planning your estate is a complex endeavor with countless decisions from start to finish. An estate planning attorney, Waltham MA, can help you determine a plan that makes the most sense for your unique situation. With the help of a qualified professional, you can go into the estate planning process with confidence. This will leave you knowing that your plan is airtight, which will only bring you ease.
