Should You Hire an Attorney When Planning Your Estate?

If you have decided to plan your estate, this is an important step as far as securing your wealth goes. While it may be easy enough to do by yourself, it’s advisable to get legal help for the process. Read on to see why you should hire an attorney when you are planning your estate.

They Can Make the Process Faster

Because an attorney will be well-versed with the law and the process of planning an estate, they can help you avoid the time-consuming learning curve. This is great for busy individuals who have other matters to attend to such as running a business. With an attorney, you will know exactly what you need to do and how to go about it without having to spend hours on research as they will let you know, for example, the documents you need to prepare and the steps you should take. They will let you know, for instance, that there are three main steps to take when planning your estate. The first is to prepare important documents, the second is to transfer your assets, and the third is to set up healthcare directives and power of attorney.

They Make Sure Your Will Says Exactly What You Want

Without legal help from a professional, you run the risk of failing to put across exactly what you want to be done. This is why you should hire an attorney when planning your estate. They will help you understand all the terms that you need to use and those that you should avoid. Simply explain to them what you hope to put across and they will let you know exactly what to write. This way, you can be confident that your estate will be in order and that your wishes will be put across to the last detail possible.

They Will Clarify the Terms for You

Working with a professional to prepare your estate plan is the best thing that you can do because they will explain to you what foreign terms mean. It’s common knowledge that the law can be complex to understand, and so working with an attorney is like taking a shortcut through the uncertainty. With 74% of Americans saying that they put off planning their estate because it’s confusing, you can avoid being one of them by getting an attorney to help clarify legal terms for you. This will be well worth it because once you have put everything in order, you can rest easy knowing that your loved ones have a more secure future.

They Help You Keep It Updated

Many people may not be aware that it’s not enough to simply prepare an estate plan, but that it’s crucial to update it regularly. Doing this covers life changes and events that could render your estate plan null in some instances. For this reason, you should work with an attorney who will help you keep your estate plan up to date and make it a relevant document throughout your life, no matter the changes that you undergo. This includes the part of your estate to which your spouse is entitled, which, according to the spousal right of election, gives them the right to claim one-third of their spouse’s estate. In the case of a divorce, this may change and it will be best if your estate is updated to reflect this as soon as it happens.

For these reasons, it’s advisable to hire an attorney when you are planning your estate. They can make things simpler, faster, and more accurate for you, so the fee that you pay them will be worth every cent.