Estate Planning Attorney

Questions For An Estate Planning Attorney

During the initial interview, there are many questions you should ask a potential estate planning attorney. Here is a list of the most important questions you should ask.

When deciding who to use, you should use the answers to the following questions for an estate planning attorney. Make sure you keep your conversation short and to the point, but do not be intimidated to inquire about their experience. When you call, let them know how you discovered them and who referred them to you. Here is a list of questions for an estate planning attorney you may be considering hiring:

1. How many years have they been performing estate planning work? If you desire to have a living trust created, a good question for an estate planning attorney is to ask them how many trusts they have prepared and how many years they have been drawing them. Make sure you are specific. Estate planning is not always the preparation of a living trust. Many attorneys who are new to the living trust arena may have 10 years’ experience with wills and probate but only 1 year experience working with living trusts. That being the case, they may say they have 10 years experience. Do not be afraid to get specific with your questions for an estate planning attorney.

2. If you have a large estate (over $1,000,000), a good question for an estate planning attorney is whether or not they have experience with tax planning or have associates that can help assist you with more strategic planning issues.

3. How many estates has the attorney/professional settled? This is a very important question for an estate planning attorney. An attorney who has seen their document administered/settled is one who understands the entire process and can advise you on issues that may arise after your death.

4. Another of the many questions for an estate planning attorney is how much they charge for the preparation of your will, trust or both. If they charge by the hour, ask them what type of information they would need from you to receive a “ballpark” estimate of the hours it may take.

5. An important question for an estate planning attorney that is just something you may want to know in advance is how long it will take to prepare your estate planning documents.

6. If you are satisfied with your conversation, kindly request the attorney/professional to send you a biography. This will inform you of their education, any special degrees they might have earned and whether they teach courses or write topics for other attorneys. Seeing their biography can possibly answer a lot of questions you may have for your estate planning attorney.

7. The last question for an estate planning attorney is whether you can come in for a free consultation. Some offer a free 30 minute consultation. Even if they charge a small fee, an initial consultation may be a good idea if you are happy with your dealings with them up to this point.

You can use the questions for an estate planning attorney above to not only discover whether you think they are able to meet your needs financially and in the timeframe you are looking for, but you will also be able to decide if you feel comfortable with them or not. This is an important requirement for an estate planning attorney because a good provider will have to ask very personal questions. If you do not feel comfortable, you should find someone else. Likewise, if any of the answers to any of your questions does not seem to fit your needs or standards, you should try to find an estate planning attorney who does.

Before asking these questions of an estate planning attorney, you should know as much about your estate as possible. The more you know about what you want your estate plan to do, the size of your estate, and the type of assets you have, the easier it will be for you to evaluate attorneys and select one who is right for you. You’ll feel much more confident as you interview them, and you’ll save a lot of time and money.