how do i find an estate planning attorney?

How to Find an Estate Planning Attorney

• Ask Your Financial Advisor for a Referral. If you have a financial advisor, they should be a great source of information for you. ...
• Ask Your Accountant. Many estate lawyers turn to accountants for help with estate, trust and income tax issues. ...
• Consult Other Attorneys. ...
• Check Bar Directories and Advertisements. ...
• Contact Your Local Probate Court. ...

Full Answer

What should you look for in an estate planning attorney?

Apr 16, 2021 · Tip: The Fidelity Estate Planner ® is available for Fidelity customers and provides resources for finding estate planning attorneys, including (in some states) information on Fidelity-vetted attorneys in your area. When you have a working list of candidates and referrals, look into each attorney's background.

How to choose the best estate planning attorney for You?

Knowing how to find an estate attorney is a lot like knowing how to trust a person. You need to talk to them and get a sense of their character. You also need to see examples of how they manage their work, and whether people tend to be satisfied with it. You can reach out to us to schedule a time to speak about what you are looking for in an estate lawyer. We understand …

What are the qualities of a good estate planning attorney?

What an Estate Planning lawyer can do for you. An estate planning attorney will be able to help you legally determine how your assets will be managed during your lifetime and how to distribute them after your death. A good attorney will also adjust your estate plan so that it minimizes taxes and eliminates court costs and interference.

Should I hire an estate planning attorney?

Ask for Referrals

The best way to find someone worth hiring to handle your final wishes is to ask around. Almost everybody should have an estate lawyer, and chances are that the people around you have done their research on theirs. Simply ask them who they went with and look into the lawyer yourself!

Research How to Find an Estate Lawyer Online

In addition to flexing your network, you may also wish to research estate lawyers online. Most law firms have reviews from actual clients either on their website or on their Google page. These reviews are usually from clients who felt compelled enough, positively or negatively, to share their experiences.

You Need an Estate Lawyer that You Can Trust

Knowing how to find an estate attorney is a lot like knowing how to trust a person. You need to talk to them and get a sense of their character. You also need to see examples of how they manage their work, and whether people tend to be satisfied with it.

Why is it important to have an estate attorney?

A good attorney will also adjust your estate plan so that it minimizes taxes and eliminates court costs and interference. You can create a legally binding document that ensures that you have control of your finances, taxes, and medical plans.

What can an estate planning attorney do for you?

An estate planning attorney will be able to help you legally determine how your assets will be managed during your lifetime and how to distribute them after your death. A good attorney will also adjust your estate plan so that it minimizes taxes and eliminates court costs and interference.

What is estate planning?

Planning your estate involves deciding what will happen to your personal property and real estate after you die. The law provides a default scheme for disposing of property, but relying on that involves a lengthy court process and potentially hefty tax consequences for your heirs. The alternative is to plan things out ahead ...

What happens if you don't have liability insurance?

Without liability insurance, you and your heirs could lose everything.

What is the state bar association?

State bar associations often offer a lawyer referral service that enables you to meet briefly with a pre-screened attorney after answering a few general questions about your needs.

How to narrow your list of potential attorneys?

1. Have a preliminary phone consultation. Many attorneys will hold a brief interview with you over the phone. Since these take up less time and require less effort than in-person consultations, you can talk to more attorneys this way and use the phone interviews to narrow your list of possible contenders.

Who is Jennifer Mueller?

Jennifer Mueller is an in-house legal expert at wikiHow. Jennifer reviews, fact-checks, and evaluates wikiHow's legal content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. She received her JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 35,595 times.