When you are making significant decisions, such as choosing legal aid, there is a level of anxiety about choosing the “right one.” It is completely understandable, especially if you are looking for an estate planning attorney, an attorney who will be discussing topics that are a bit heavy and personal to begin with.
There is a need to choose the “right one.” Fortunately, you can take your time and go about a thorough vetting process to find an estate planning attorney that suits your needs, expectations, and future. You don’t need to choose the first one you see. You have the option to search around and choose based on what you want.
If you want to ensure you are going down the right path as you look for an estate planning attorney, here are some of the most important things you need to consider during your search process.
Start With Narrowing Down Attorneys to Where You Reside
No matter the type of legal aid you are searching for, it is essential to search within your location. This will ensure that you get legal guidance that follows the laws and regulations within your state and county, not just the federal government.
Laws and regulations can change from state to state and county to county. This is the same even if you are in Kansas City, Missouri, or Kansas City, Kansas. Make sure to specify in your search “Kansas City, Missouri Estate Planning Attorney” or “Kansas City, Kansas Estate Planning Attorney” or wherever you might reside. This may seem extremely detailed, but it can save you from creating legal documents that don’t actually follow the rulings for your location.
Understand What You Need From Your Estate Planning Attorney
Estate planning is a broad term. Estate planning could cover will creation, probate preparation, trust development, power of attorney contracts, and even elder law. Some estate planning attorneys even have long-term care, Medicaid planning, or guardianship services. This is your chance to understand exactly what you are looking for from your potential estate planning attorney and ensure that you are finding candidates that can provide those services. There are some cases where an estate planning attorney only works with wills, trusts, and probate, while others reach into elder law and long-term care. If you need more specific legal aid, make sure you are looking for that.
Find an Estate Planning Attorney Who Specializes in Those Needs
Once you have a clear understanding of the topics you want to discuss with your potential estate planning attorney, you can take the steps to find an attorney who specializes in those needs. This could be done by simply searching “Long-term care estate planning attorney” or by searching through law firms’ websites to see what services they specialize in that align with what you are looking for. It is easier to partner with an estate planning attorney who covers more of your requirements than to find multiple estate planning attorneys to partner with.
Assess The Estate Planning Attorney’s Reviews and Background
One of the most crucial steps when choosing the “right” estate planning attorney is to do some digging into who they are, how long they have been in practice, and how previous clients have felt about their services. A legal counsel is a significant choice, so it does not hurt to look into their background and ensure it aligns with what you are expecting of a partner in this journey.
It can be wise to ask around your area, especially if you are finding attorneys that are location-specific. This is your chance to see if any friends, family, or peers would recommend them, or if they have had difficulty with them in the past. Google reviews can also be helpful in this phase. Additionally, this is your chance to look into their background, how long they have been in their practice, and what certifications they have in the legal industry. All of these details can give you a clearer picture of who you might partner with.
Interview Your Estate Planning Attorney Options
Fortunately, you don’t need to partner with an estate planning attorney blindly. You can take your time and schedule initial consultations with your choice of estate planning attorney. Initial consultations are your opportunity to speak with the attorneys, ask them beginning questions, and get an idea of whether you get along with them and mesh with their personality and processes.
You can ask questions such as:
- Will I be working with you directly or with someone else on your team?
- Do you charge hourly or a flat rate?
- Do you work with elder law?
- Could you refer me to financial advisors and other professionals?
- What’s your long-term communication process?
Ask About Their Financing Process
Some attorneys will charge an hourly fee, while others will charge a flat fee. These details are very important to learn in the beginning processes of choosing an estate planning attorney to ensure they align with your payment capabilities. Additionally, there are going to be estate planning attorneys that may charge more than others because of their length of time in their practice, how large their firm is, the number of services they provide, or the location they are in.
Many attorneys will provide their fees and numbers in the initial consultation in order to save both your time and their time. It will just depend on the law firm. However, it is important to gather this information as you narrow down your pool of attorney choices.
Evaluate Their Communication Style
Different attorneys are going to have different methods of communicating with their clients, whether that is through telephone, email, or assistants. Understanding their communication styles and seeing their processes within cases can help you determine if they align with how you wish to work with an attorney. There will be attorneys who may be much more reachable than others. It is up to you to know your expectations and find an attorney who can align with them.
Choose Someone You Feel a Partnership With
Lastly, the best advice we can give for finding the right estate planning attorney is to find an attorney you can truly partner with. Estate planning is a heavy topic that can delve into some deeper subject matter and futures that we may not like to think about in our day-to-day. So, it is very important to partner with an estate planning attorney that you feel comfortable with and feel as if they can support you through those conversations. Whether it is estate planning or any other type of legal aid, you want to partner with an attorney you can feel safe with at the end of the day.
Remember, it is not about finding the “right” estate planning attorney. It is about finding the right estate planning attorney for you. If you have further questions or wish to partner with us, contact the team at Janssen Estate Probate & Elder Law.