6 Questions to Ask Estate Planning Lawyers Before Hiring
Finding the right lawyer for estate planning requires knowing their qualifications. Here are questions to ask estate planning lawyers before hiring.
Although 62% of Americans reported that they don’t have a will, the pandemic became a great motivation for Americans to create a will. To date, 26% of those who have a will got one out of fear for the health risk that the pandemic imposes.
If you're having problems finding the right lawyer to help you decide where your belongings go and create an effective plan, you're in the right place. Keep reading to learn six essential questions to ask your potential estate planning lawyer.
1. Do You Regularly Practice Before the Court Where They'll Present My Case?
Every surrogate court has its way of doing things as every judge has a unique set of rules applied in the court they’re proceeding. As such, it helps to have a lawyer who practiced before the court where they’ll assign your case to. Since the lawyer is familiar with the court's rules, processing your estate plan will be a lot smoother and faster.
2. Do You Have Experiences in Estate Planning?
It’s important to ask how much estate planning experience the lawyers have before planning to hire them. This will help you grasp whether the lawyer has the necessary skill and expertise to meet your needs.
If possible, hire a lawyer who primarily focuses on estate planning. As such, if you’re looking for law firm options for lawyers in Arizona, Citadel Law Firm is a great candidate as they specialize in estate planning.
3. What Is the Inclusion of an Estate Plan?
It's also essential to ask for the inclusion of their estate planning services. A great estate plan should include a living will, a Financial Power of Attorney, the last will and testament, and a health care power of attorney.
4. Does Your Practice Include Probate?
Estate planning allows you to plan out how to distribute your assets after you die. Meanwhile, the distribution of assets occurs during the probate process.
A great lawyer should offer both estate planning and probate services. This ensures that your heirs will have a helping hand during the probate process when you die. Your lawyer will see to it that your estate plan gets executed as you've instructed. A probate avoidance estate plan is even better, as probate is not only expensive but also time consuming.
5. What Much Does Estate Planning Cost?
As legal fees can be confusing, it’s best to ask how the lawyer charges for the service they’ll be rendering. Clarify whether they’ll be charging an hourly fee, a flat fee, or a contingency fee. If they are charging a flat fee for your estate planning, ask what happens when matters become complicated.
It helps to get a quote from different law firms and use sites that specialize in comparing lawyer fees. This will help you pan out whether they're charging you a competitive price. Cross-reference by reading online reviews to find out whether the services that the estate planning lawyer will render are worth your money.
6. Who Can I Contact In Your Absence?
Estate planning lawyers strive to make themselves available to their clients throughout the process. However, some circumstances make it impossible for them to do so. It helps to know that in such events, a competent associate is available to answer your quarries.
Enlist Chandler Estate Planning Lawyers from Citadel Law Firm Today!
With the right questions, you'll be able to find the right choice among the many estate planning lawyers. Be careful with your choices and thoroughly investigate the lawyer's experience, services, credentials, and references.
Looking for one today? Citadel Law Firm is here at your service! Contact us today and get a free consultation with one of our experienced estate planning lawyers Chandler! Click here for your free estate planning consultation or call (480)565-8020.