how to select estate planning attorney

10 Tips for Choosing the Right Estate Planning Attorney for You.

• 1. Don’t Limit Your Search by Geography Alone.
• 2. Get a Referral from an Attorney or Other Advisor.
• 3. Beware of Internet Directories.
• 4. Does the Attorney Focus on Estate Planning?
• 5. Beware of Bar Association Referral Hotlines.

Full Answer

What should you look for in an estate planning attorney?

Basically, you look on the Internet, and you look at the different sites for estate planning attorneys in the cities and states. Also, the best place to go is really referrals from other friends. And if you’ve used an attorney for real estate or family law, divorce, and you were happy with that attorney, they can often give you referrals to good estate planning attorneys.

What are the qualities of a good estate planning attorney?

Dec 09, 2021 · Here are our tips on how to choose an estate planning attorney: Gather Referrals When it comes to choosing an estate planning attorney, checking their referrals is one of the easiest ways to identify whether or not they’re a good fit. One great way to do this is by reaching out to family members and friends for their opinions.

How to choose the best estate planning attorney for You?

Check with your state bar website to ensure the attorney is licensed and in good standing. Additionally, check the law firm's website and social media …

How to find the right estate planning attorney?

Mar 28, 2022 · Below is a summary of 10 Tips for Choosing the Right Estate Planning Attorney for You. 1. Don’t Limit Your Search by Geography Alone. First, while your attorney should be licensed in your state, do not limit your search geographically. There are a small handful of attorneys in your area who specialize in estate planning.

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 ...

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.

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.

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.

What happens if you don't have liability insurance?

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

How many tiers are there in law school?

Just like any other school, law schools that are harder to get into have higher standards and only accept the best students. There are four (4) tiers in the law school ranking system with the first tier being at the top and hardest to get into. Ask the attorney where he or she went to law school. 10.

Do attorneys do estate planning?

There are many attorneys that say that they do estate planning. And of course there are many that do. The real question to ask however is “do they practice exclusively in this area of the law”? Just as there are doctors that specialize in certain areas of medicine such as general practice, cardiology or oncology, there are attorneys that are generalists and ones that limit their practices to a specific area of the law. The benefit to this is that the attorney is much more likely to be abreast of the current law and issues that surround that practice area. They are also more likely to correctly identify areas that could be problems down the road if the proper planning is not done.

1. Conduct A Search

Ask trusted friends and co-workers who they use, if they got the results they were looking for, and if it was easy to work with the attorney. Conduct an internet search to gather several potential names, and check out their reviews online.

2. Check Them Out Online

Check each attorney’s web presence to insure they have the skills and expertise you are looking for. Is the attorney licensed and board certified by the State Bar of Arizona? Review the State Bar of Arizona’s website to make sure the attorney carries malpractice insurance and does not have any prior or pending complaints.

3. Interview Potential Attorneys

Call each attorney and ask them some questions.

How long has the attorney been practicing in the areas of Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?

How long has the attorney been practicing in the areas of Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?#N#Is [s]he experienced enough to have firsthand knowledge of family and business matters of concern to you?#N#There is no law that prevents an attorney from calling himself an estate planner, even if he has no qualifications or experience in estate planning.

What percentage of the attorney's practice is devoted to Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?

What percentage of the attorney's practice is devoted to Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law?#N#An attorney simply cannot handle divorces, traffic tickets, and other matters and be an estate planning expert, too. Estate planning is a complicated and sophisticated area of legal practice.

Is the attorney certified as a specialist in Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization?

Is the attorney certified as a specialist in Probate, Trusts, & Estate Planning Law by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization?#N#Although there are many knowledgeable attorneys who have not been certified as specialists, passing the certification exam provides some measure of assurance that the attorney is competent to practice in this field..

Does the attorney offer free (or low-cost) initial consultations?

Does the attorney offer free (or low-cost) initial consultations?#N#Make sure you know the answer to this question so you won't be surprised at your first meeting.

How does the attorney decide what to charge?

How does the attorney decide what to charge?#N#If an attorney or firm charges by the hour, there is a built-in incentive for more office consultations and multiple drafts of documents.

What services are included in the fee?

What services are included in the fee?#N#The more office consultations and legal services that are included, the higher the fee will be.

How much should you pay for your estate plan?

How much should you pay for your estate plan?#N#You need to be careful about the too-good-to-be-true bargains. This decision is too important to look for the cheapest plan you can get. Your estate plan may have a profound effect on your loved ones' lives and well-being.