Estate Planning Lawyer

No matter your age or financial status, the legal professionals at Silverman Law Office, PLLC advise you to have an estate plan in place. It will ensure that your final wishes are carried out and that your family members are taken care of. However, when it comes to choosing the right estate planning lawyer, you might not know where to start.

Here are some tips for hiring the right estate planning lawyer to assist you with your plan.

Determine Your Specific Needs

Not everyone has the same exact estate planning needs. After all, everyone has different circumstances. That is why you should write down your specific needs before you look for a lawyer. Do you have to create an estate plan from scratch? Do you have to update an existing estate plan because you recently got divorced? Do you have to set up a special needs trust for your disabled child? Then, you will be able to find someone who can help much easier.

Ask Family and Friends for Recommendations

If one of your friends or family members recently set up an estate plan, do not hesitate to ask them about the lawyer they used. Ask them what kind of estate planning services the lawyer provided and if they are satisfied with their services or not. People in your life who are responsible and proactive can be a great source of information for a referral. 

Look at Online Reviews

If you can’t find anyone to give you a referral for an estate planning lawyer, your next step is to look at online reviews. Websites like Avvo and FindLaw can provide many reviews of estate planning lawyers in your area. People give their honest opinions of how their lawyer performed and if they would recommend the lawyer or not.

Interview the Lawyers

When you get the names of several estate planning lawyers, schedule consultations with them. This will give you an opportunity to ask questions about their education and experience. For example, you may want to ask where the lawyer graduated from law school and how long he or she has been in practice. You may also want to find out if a lawyer specializes in estate planning and how often you will receive updates about your plan. Write the questions down in a notebook to avoid forgetting them.

Observe How a Lawyer Interacts with You

During your first consultation with an estate planning lawyer, pay attention to how he or she communicates with you. Do the lawyer ask you a lot of questions about your estate planning goals and genuinely seem interested in helping you reach your goals? Or does the lawyer just seem to be going through the motions? If it’s the latter, you may want to consider a different lawyer.

If you recently received a personal injury lawsuit, you may want to include it in your estate plan. Your lawyer can assist you with that.