Blog Layout
What Is the Role of an Estate Planning Lawyer? How They Can Help You
Jan 15, 2020
Planning for the future is part of living an enriching, fulfilling life. It's a part of life to anticipate certain events, and planning ahead a part of being a responsible person. Yet, you don't need to plan your whole life alone – sometimes, you need to reach out for help.
And to help you plan for the final stage of your life, you can hire an estate planning lawyer. These are attorneys who spend most of their professional lives helping clients plan ahead for future, working with them to create trusts and wills. Their jobs are to communicate the wishes of their clients to families and friends.
It's one of the most important roles anyone can have. They are arbiters for their clients' final wills and can act as conduits for families to continue feeling connected to loved ones. They don't just handle the legal paperwork surrounding death — they also work with the living to make the whole process easier.
So, it's vital to have an estate planning lawyer who will work with you to plan for the future in a way you're comfortable with. Keep reading to learn more about what they do!
And to help you plan for the final stage of your life, you can hire an estate planning lawyer. These are attorneys who spend most of their professional lives helping clients plan ahead for future, working with them to create trusts and wills. Their jobs are to communicate the wishes of their clients to families and friends.
It's one of the most important roles anyone can have. They are arbiters for their clients' final wills and can act as conduits for families to continue feeling connected to loved ones. They don't just handle the legal paperwork surrounding death — they also work with the living to make the whole process easier.
So, it's vital to have an estate planning lawyer who will work with you to plan for the future in a way you're comfortable with. Keep reading to learn more about what they do!
Your Estate Planning Lawyer Plans For the Future
Navigating the world of estate planning means more than just preparing wills and drafting trusts. There are estate taxes to account for, which can change how much gets passed down to your family. Your estate planning lawyer will also need to help your family navigate probate court, so they don't get lost in the legal system.
And that's just the start of what estate planning lawyers do. Beyond the hard legal work, they also practice soft skills to learn about their clients' individual needs.
And that's just the start of what estate planning lawyers do. Beyond the hard legal work, they also practice soft skills to learn about their clients' individual needs.
First, They Learn About Your Current Situation
When you start working with an estate planning lawyer, they'll ask plenty of questions about your current life. They'll ask about your family, the size of your estate, and how you built it up. This is more than just courtesy. By having these conversations, they learn about the situation they're dealing with.
These kinds of conversations help your estate planning lawyer connect with you on a deeper level. And when they connect deeper than a professional level, they can make sure your wishes are honored.
By learning about clients' families, estate planning lawyers can record exactly how they want their estate passed down. And by learning about how their clients built their estates, they'll be able to anticipate taxes or other legal barriers. Most of the time, they learn about these things just by talking with client
These kinds of conversations help your estate planning lawyer connect with you on a deeper level. And when they connect deeper than a professional level, they can make sure your wishes are honored.
By learning about clients' families, estate planning lawyers can record exactly how they want their estate passed down. And by learning about how their clients built their estates, they'll be able to anticipate taxes or other legal barriers. Most of the time, they learn about these things just by talking with client
Estate Planning Means Anticipating Change
One of the most crucial abilities any decent estate planning lawyer must have is the ability to anticipate change. Life is full of possibilities, and any of them can change the way your estate is left behind. You could have a new grandchild or a new cousin that you want to include in your will, for example.
Your estate planning lawyer should understand that and should stay in constant communication with you. It's a way to stay prepared in case you need to open a living trust alongside your will, or any other change. They should regularly check-in for updates on your life just like friends and family!
Your estate planning lawyer should understand that and should stay in constant communication with you. It's a way to stay prepared in case you need to open a living trust alongside your will, or any other change. They should regularly check-in for updates on your life just like friends and family!
Finding the Right Attorney is Vital
Just like in any industry, there are good estate planning lawyers and there are bad ones. Only, in this field, it's vital to find a good lawyer. It's one thing to get a bad mechanic or a poor cook – their mistakes can be repaired.
Yet, you won't be around to undo any mistakes your estate planning attorney may make. It's up to you find an attorney that you can trust, and who will handle your estate exactly how you want it. Finding the right one can be a challenge, though — all lawyers will try to make themselves look as good as possible.
Here are a few tips on how to find an estate planning lawyer you can trust.
Yet, you won't be around to undo any mistakes your estate planning attorney may make. It's up to you find an attorney that you can trust, and who will handle your estate exactly how you want it. Finding the right one can be a challenge, though — all lawyers will try to make themselves look as good as possible.
Here are a few tips on how to find an estate planning lawyer you can trust.
Find a Lawyer That Has Experience
The first thing you should look for when considering any estate planning lawyer is whether they have experience. Most lawyers will feature prominent clients they've worked with before on their websites or in their offices. Sometimes, it can be hard to find evidence that they have experience, though.
When you first sit down with a lawyer you're thinking about hiring, ask about who they worked with before. Make sure to ask questions about how they handled clients and their process for creating plans for clients. Also, ask about any difficult situations they faced and how they handled them.
That way, you'll learn about how they face adversity. People's true personalities shine when facing a challenge and your estate planning attorney is no different. It will tell you about how they do business, and if you can actually trust them to handle your estate well.
When you first sit down with a lawyer you're thinking about hiring, ask about who they worked with before. Make sure to ask questions about how they handled clients and their process for creating plans for clients. Also, ask about any difficult situations they faced and how they handled them.
That way, you'll learn about how they face adversity. People's true personalities shine when facing a challenge and your estate planning attorney is no different. It will tell you about how they do business, and if you can actually trust them to handle your estate well.
Research Their Reputation to Learn if They're Trustworthy
Part of a being any kind of lawyer is to cultivate a reputation for yourself. Lawyers market themselves through what people say about them, and that means it should be easy to do research on any potential lawyer. There's bound to be an abundance of information about them on the internet.
Research their firms online before walking into their office. Read reviews that people leave about the firm, and most importantly of all ask around your community. Lawyers are prominent in their communities, and their clients will have a lot to say about them.
Asking questions will quickly establish if someone is worth working with. It's the basis for any kind of research!
Research their firms online before walking into their office. Read reviews that people leave about the firm, and most importantly of all ask around your community. Lawyers are prominent in their communities, and their clients will have a lot to say about them.
Asking questions will quickly establish if someone is worth working with. It's the basis for any kind of research!
Your Estate Planning Lawyer Should be Like Family
When you hire an estate planning lawyer, you are basically bringing in a new member of your family. They will learn all there is to know about how your family works, Remember, it's their job to get close.
If they don't, they won't be able to create an estate plan you're satisfied with. You only get one shot at passing your estate down correctly, so you don't want to use a template, cookie-cutter plan. You want one tailored for your unique situation.
That's what you'll end up with when you hire an estate planning lawyer. And to learn more about how the estate planning process works, just keep reading our section on it! There, you will find all the information you need to plan your estate!
If they don't, they won't be able to create an estate plan you're satisfied with. You only get one shot at passing your estate down correctly, so you don't want to use a template, cookie-cutter plan. You want one tailored for your unique situation.
That's what you'll end up with when you hire an estate planning lawyer. And to learn more about how the estate planning process works, just keep reading our section on it! There, you will find all the information you need to plan your estate!
Wyde Law Blog and Case Studies
PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION
If you have been arrested for DWI in the Dallas Fort Worth area then you have only 15 days from the date of your arrest to request an Administrative License Revocation ( ALR ) hearing. Otherwise your driver's license will be suspended. This is NOT a court date or any date you may have received on your citation. This legal process can be confusing so contact us today by email ( go here ) or calling our office at (214) 521-9100 . Do not lose your right to drive. Call us today so we can help you keep your privilege to drive.
D id you know that in the State of Texas there exists the possibility of a bank not paying out to beneficiaries who are designated on the account's signature card for an account listed as a " Payable On Death " (POD)? Our firm has handled such situations as they rare, and they don't fall under a testamentary asset - meaning that they are not subject to the probate courts. Recommending that clients convert their regular checking and savings accounts to have a POD designation often is used in estate planning , but this converts a testamentary asset into one of the few non-testamentary assets like a term life insurance policy. Several sections of the Texas Estates Code apply here including: Section 113.52 Rights Of Creditors Section 113.04 Types Of Accounts Many others Upon the death of the account holder, the named beneficiary(ies) should receive the remaining funds in the account subject to Texas regulations. So why would the named beneficiary not get access to the funds, especially if there is no lawsuit from other family members or creditors? One of the ways this may happen is when the signature card was signed, dated, and had the named beneficiary(ies) with the payable on death account designation at a bank which later was acquired. While the acquiring bank should have safeg0uards to ensure that the most recent signature card is properly reflected in their computer systems, the ultimate factor is the actual signature card itself. Older account holders may have signed a physical signature card at the original bank, and then they never signed a new signature card (another physical card or digitally) with the new banking institution. Another concern some people have with POD accounts is that the decedent may have named the checking/saving account's beneficiaries in one's Last Will & Testament; but the signature card on file with the bank has a different beneficiary. Since the POD-designated account no longer is a testamentary asset, thus not subject to probate, then this can cause challenges between parties who expect to receive the remaining funds. A bank also may not follow its own steps for checking a signature card before disbursing funds to the incorrect party. Banks in Texas have a step-by-step process which must be followed for POD account fund disbursement. Any missteps in this process can cause significant problems and alter the wishes of the decent as listed on his/her original signature card. This is a complex situation due to the checking/savings account, traditionally considered an estate asset and therefore subject to probate, when the exact same checking/savings account instead has the payable on death designation. Our lawyers can help you with these kinds of confusing situations and other similar estate-related, and other non-testamentary asset-related, situations. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
The following lists some of the kinds of charges you may face if charged with assault family violence or domestic family violence: Aggravated Assault - Serious Bodily Injury Aggravated Assault - Deadly Weapon Assault By Impeding Breath Or Choking Continuance Violence Against The Family Assault - Bodily Injury / Indecent Assault Terroristic Threat Assault - Offensive Touching Emergency Protective Orders Violation Of Emergency Protective Orders If you are, or someone you know is, facing one of the charges listed above then contact us to schedule your consultation . You may learn more about these kinds of charges from the Texas Family Code, TITLE 4. PROTECTIVE ORDERS AND FAMILY VIOLENCE: Click Here
Did you know that an "affirmative finding of family violence" includes: Being ineligible for any order of expunction or non-disclosure of records. Lifetime ban from owning or possessing any firearms. Not being allowed to be joint managing conservator of your children. If you are in a divorce or in any lawsuit then this affects the parent-child relationship. You risk being deported if you are not a U.S. citizen. There are other concerns as well, so contact us for any assault family violence or related domestic violence charges in Dallas County, Collin County, Denton County, Rockwall County or nearby Texas counties.
While nobody really likes to think about the idea of passing away, proper estate planning is essential for families. Consider this estate planning checklist.
If you're concerned about how your record looks when you go in for a job or submit to a background check, it's time to fix that. Expunging records in Texas is made to help people who've made mistakes to move on from the past.
A criminal record can often hold you back from getting a new job, a new home and so many other things that you deserve to have. So, expungement can definitely help you fix that.
If you're looking to get a record expunged in Texas, it's frankly very challenging without a legal expert to guide you through it. However, if you're able to get the right person on your side, you won't have to struggle with how to get a felony expunged in Texas.
Recent statistics from the Texas judicial branch estimate that almost one-quarter of all new family law cases involve child support cases.
About us
Discover more about our firm here: About Us.
Useful Links
Register for our newsletter
Contact Us
