Estate Plans: 10 Key Topics to Discuss w/ Your Attorney
Discussing your estate plans can be a tough topic for many to consider. Essentially, it forces a person to contemplate important financial issues that may arise while they are still alive, as well as after their own death. Consequently, it is very important to ensure that your resources are managed sensibly so that next-generation family members can receive an inheritance without incident.
While just about any lawyer is physically capable of drawing up a simple Will for the most straightforward of situations, for example naming a beneficiary for one’s 401(k), a seasoned trust-and-estate attorney will help you navigate more complicated financial situations which may involve multiple trusts and several different heirs.
Broadly speaking, there are probably a variety of specific concerns you may have when building an estate plan which will likely include at least a few of the following:
- Minimizing legal expenses and taxes
- Ensuring your children’s legal guardian
- Estates involving tenants in common or community property
- Assets in multiple states
- Helping to reduce or avoid conflicts and confusions
- Flexibility in managing estate assets while you are living
- Ensuring that heirs and loves ones receive your assets
- Wealth preservation
- Ensuring that heirs and loves ones receive your assets
- Maintaining orderly administration of assets while you are living
Every one of these topics will make for a good place to start when starting the journey to find the appropriate attorney for helping you with your needs so that you can ensure lasting peace of mind knowing your financial life is in order.
- It’s imperative that you have a solid estate plan in place, to ensure your loved ones collect your assets without unnecessary hassle or undue delay upon your death.
- Most of all, make sure you hire an attorney who you feel demonstrates a high level of service, is knowledgeable, and also with whom you feel comfortable discussing highly personal matters.
