The Importance of Hiring an Attorney for Estate Planning
Scribbling off a list of intentions for your property and assets after you pass and signing it doesn’t amount to an estate plan. Likewise, fill-in-the-blank wills can hardly reflect the details and nuances of a person’s last wishes. Estate planning requires an in-depth look at your finances, health, the state of your marriage and family relationships, and your personal and professional goals. If everyone had the ability, they would create the best possible estate plan for themselves. But few are that knowledgeable, objective, or discerning, and unless you’ve gone to law school and studied estate planning, there’s no reason you should be, which is why hiring an attorney for estate planning is so important.
Do I need an estate planning attorney?
Too often, people are reluctant to commit to estate planning. It’s not fun to think about one’s passing or spend money on a stack of papers. But a solid estate plan is so much more than a stack of papers, and any amount of money you save now by using generic documents or drafting estate planning documents yourself, could cost your heirs and beneficiaries significantly. An estate planning attorney can help in the following ways:
- Protect your life’s savings and assets from creditors
- Mitigate or avoid estate taxes
- Prepare for the possibility of physical disability and/or mental incapacity
- Prepare powers of attorney and health care directives
- Avoid guardianship and conservatorship issues
- Avoid contentious probate proceedings
Non-attorneys and attorneys who do not practice estate planning specifically will not be familiar with all the documents and tools available to prepare a thorough and thoroughly advantageous estate plan. Yours may include a will, living trust, health care directive, and more—but you’ll never know what’s available to you or best for you without consulting an experienced estate planning attorney.
How to Hire an Estate Planning Attorney in Idaho
When you’re looking for an estate planning attorney, focus on experience and specialized knowledge. Estate planning should be a primary practice area for the lawyer you’re considering, and he or she should be well-versed in and up-to-date with state law, or you run the risk of your estate plan being found invalid by the court. Also, you should feel comfortable sharing intimate details of your life with your estate planning attorney; otherwise your estate plan may not meet your expectations and needs.
In the Twin Falls area, Canyon River Law is known for its reputable and trusted estate planning lawyers. Our skilled Idaho estate planning attorneys will go the distance to create the right estate plan for you by assessing your needs and understanding your goals. At the end of the process, you’ll have peace of mind, knowing your assets and wishes are protected, your money was well spent, and that hiring an estate planning attorney is, in fact, important.
