Before Hiring an Estate Planning Attorney, Understand The Difference
Many estate planning attorneys take a "one-size-fits-all" approach with their clients. They do this so that they can work with as many people as possible in a short period of time.
The problem is that the client has an impersonal experience, and worse than that, this way of planning can lead to unintended results in the long run for the family.
Consequences When Attorneys Don't Listen
Unless a lawyer takes the time to listen and consider your personal circumstances, the estate plan prepared won't reflect what you and your family really want to happen or might think will happen.
Without a regular plan review or updating, your plan is very likely to become outdated and not work when your family needs it most.
You can pay less up front for estate planning, but you're likely to get a standard set of documents (even if they seem to be customized for your family), costing far more to fix when it goes wrong in the future.
Plus, you leave your family at risk of having to deal with an expensive, unnecessary and public court process during a time of grief.
We Listen
TrustCounsel PC is right for you if you want to know that your plan will actually work when you and your loved ones need it the most.
If all you want is a set of legal documents, there are plenty of online resources you can use to create them or you can go to a traditional estate planning lawyer.
If what you want is to know you have a plan in place that will work when your family needs it, will keep the people you love out of court and out of conflict, and will keep your assets out of the hands of the government, then we might be the right fit for you.
Here Are Some Of The Ways We Are Different From Most Other Estate Planning Lawyers
- Our fees are fixed, and always agreed in advance. At our initial meeting you will choose the level of planning and fee that works best for your family, so there will never be any surprises.
- We take a comprehensive approach, to ensure your plan works when it is needed. We do not just prepare a set of legal documents and send you on your way. We provide quidance to ensure your children’s well-being is properly planned for, that your assets are owned in the right way, and that those named in your plan know what to do if anything happens to you.
- We review client plans every three years, and annually for members of our Wealth Planning membership. We foster a lifetime, ongoing relationship with our clients. Throughout your life, things change: you change, your assets change, your family changes, and the law will definitely change. When planning with us, your plan will keep up with those changes.
- We have a process to ensure your assets are titled in the right way, both now and into the future, to keep the planning process incredibly easy and painless for you and your family.
- We help get your legal and financial house in order by organize your current assets, reationships, and key information for management during life and thereafter.
- We help protect your chidren to ensure that minor children won't be raised by anyone you wouldn't want or taken into the care of strangers, and adult children are woven into your estate plan with care and forethought so that they too, can lead lives well lived.
- We focus on legacy planning because it’s about a lot more than money. We believe that planning is about much more than just transferring financial wealth. Using a process designed to transfer important personal wealth (including intellectual, spiritual and human assets), our clients increase their personal wealth, to be passed on to their children and future generations.
Before you engage an estate planning lawyer to help you plan for the well-being of your family and loved ones, ask about the topics above to ensure that the estate plan prepared for you will work when your family needs it and won’t end up just a pile of worthless paper after you are gone.
Do not let a set of legal documents become false security that keeps you from doing what’s best for your loved ones.