So, What Does an Estate Planning Lawyer Actually Do?
If you have been thinking about drafting an estate plan, then you may be wondering whether you need help from a professional to guide the way. An estate planning lawyer is someone who knows the ins and outs of certain legal processes, specifically all things related to trusts, probate, wills, inheritance law, assets, etc. While you may be tempted to use a basic program online to generate your estate plan, here are the reasons why you should use a real life estate planning lawyer instead:
Preparing Powers of Attorney and Directives
A lawyer can help you prepare documents for a power of attorney and health care directives, in the event you need someone to handle your affairs if you are unable to. Power of attorney gives a person the ability to sign your name if you cannot due to mental incapacity. You can choose someone you trust to handle your financial or health-related decisions in the event of an accident or illness.
Avoid Issues Over Guardianship or Conservatorship
Your lawyer can resolve issues related to guardianship or conservatorship. Your lawyer can advise how to draft a document that states who you wish to take care of your children in the event of your early passing, if your children are not of adult age at the time. It will be important that you communicate with potential guardians about your wishes, and ask if they are comfortable with this role.
Your Best Interest are Always in Mind
A general program online for estate planning is not going to be able to watch out for your best interests. By having a real person help you, you can have the peace of mind that they are looking out to protect you and your legacy. Your lawyer can also help you personalize your estate plan based on your unique circumstances. All in all, a lawyer is going to safeguard what you have built throughout your lifetime, and take steps to avoid probate or estate-related disputes in the future.
If you are deciding whether to get help from a legal professional as you draft your estate plan, hopefully you can see how an automatic program online can’t beat the personalization of a lawyer. Consider calling a lawyer, such as an estate planning lawyer from Essential Law today for more information.