Estate planning can be a daunting, arduous process if you attempt to go about it on your own. The consequences of overlooking even the slightest detail – one wrong word, one misplaced signature, one missing page – can be really dire. It can change the intent and damage the overall validity of your documents. This may require more money to fix. Thankfully, there are experienced lawyers in Greenwood, Indiana, and other areas who are available and qualified to help you with matters such as these. After all, it’s not just your property on the line when the plan screws up, although that in itself is already so much to consider. More importantly, it’s the drastic effect one small mistake can have on the members of your family.
But we know that choosing the right legal counsel might also put you in a bit of a pickle. Here are the major things to consider when looking for a good estate planning lawyer:
Experienced
Estate planning is a complicated process that involves a lot of specific terms, procedures, and documents. It is true that specialized knowledge is something else that’s thrown around a lot when it comes to good estate planning lawyers, and, yes, it certainly must also be taken into consideration. However, the thing is that a lot of knowledge can only go so much when it has never been applied or has not been applied enough times.
Estate plans differ from one specific person to another, and there are so many possible scenarios that can play out surrounding it. Having sufficient specialized knowledge in it makes a lawyer competent, yes, but having sufficient experience in dealing with estate planning makes them even more so.
Amiable
Now, this doesn’t mean that you and your lawyer should be meeting up for yoga or that you should be having tea at your place every Friday afternoon complaining about the dismal weather. It means that your lawyer of choice must be able to make you feel comfortable enough to talk to them without much reservation. It is important that you are able to discuss intimate details and family affairs with them so that your estate plan will be satisfactory down to the littlest detail.
Withholding important information just because you don’t feel comfortable enough sharing or because you don’t trust them that much can negatively affect your estate plan.
Moreover, a lawyer must be easily contactable in case of updates in your life, in the law, or in the trends of estate planning. This is so that necessary changes can be made with the plan even when the actual drafting of documents itself is already done.
Up to Date
A lawyer must be up to date with the applicable laws in your jurisdiction. Overlooking a recent amendment or an outdated policy in the drafting of your estate plan can render the whole thing useless when the time comes.
A competent estate planning lawyer must be able to run you through every step and every document with a trusted level of expertise. They must also be pleasant enough to work with. If you consider all these things when choosing an estate planning lawyer, not only will the process go smoothly, but you will also find yourself less stressed and frustrated.