When you set up an initial consultation with a Massachusetts estate planning attorney, you probably have a variety of concerns to consider. These include examining small business assets, naming a legal guardian for your children, assessing wealth preservation, minimizing taxes, reducing confusion or conflicts, maintaining an orderly administration of assets, and managing estate assets as flexibly as possible while you’re still alive.
These topic areas can make for a good place to start when scheduling your first consultation with a Massachusetts estate planning attorney.
How Long Have You Been Practicing?
It’s a good idea to find an experienced attorney who has been practicing in the field of estate planning for some time. This means that the attorney should already have seen his or her prepared documents take impact after another client’s death. These attorneys might also have dealt with challenges from the courts or the IRS and be knowledgeable about how to minimize any potential obstacles at the outset.
Is Your Primary Focus Estate Planning?
A knowledgeable estate planning attorney should have the majority of their practice focused on helping people with estate planning issues and elder law. This means that they are most likely to be up to date with trends in the industry as well as how state and federal laws impact clients.
Who Executes the Plan?
Some attorneys focus primarily on drafting estate planning documents whereas others might also be involved in executing the associated trusts. Make sure that you understand which one of these categories your lawyer falls into.
Do You Conduct Periodic Reviews?
Many estate planning attorneys today will, on an annual or semiannual basis, carve out time to do a periodic review of your estate plan. This is often worth the fee associated because new legislative, amendments or changes in your life could call for an update in your plan.
How Do You Charge?
You should know the financial arrangements of working with your Massachusetts estate planning attorney before you sign up. Some attorneys offer flat fees rather than billing by the hour. It is good to understand your individual attorney’s approach to these matters.
If you’d like to set up an initial phone call with a Massachusetts lawyer, contact our office today.
