3 Questions To Ask Before Hiring An Estate Planning Lawyer
Since you’ll be discussing topics like death, incapacity, and other frightening events, hiring an estate planning lawyer may feel intimidating—but it definitely doesn’t have to be. Instead, it can be the most empowering decision you ever make. The key to transforming the experience is to educate yourself first. This is the person who is going to be there for your family when you can’t be, so you want to really understand who the lawyer is as a human, not just an attorney. Here are three questions to ask to ensure you get an attorney you can truly trust.
1. How do you bill for your services?
There’s no reason you should be afraid to ask a lawyer how he or she bills for their work. When someone is hesitant to discuss billing, you could be in for some costly surprises. Find a lawyer who bills for their services on a flat-fee basis —and never on an hourly basis— unless it’s required by the court.
2. How will you proactively communicate with me on an ongoing basis?
The sad truth is most lawyers do a terrible job of staying in regular communication with their clients. Unfortunately, most lawyers don’t have the business systems set up for proactive communication, and they don’t have the time to really get to know you or your family.
3. What happens if you die or retire
This is a critically important question. Sure, it may be uncomfortable to ask, but a true professional will have a plan to ensure their clients are taken care of no matter what happens to them.
A Lasting Relationship
Although hiring an estate planning lawyer may not seem like a super important decision, it’s actually one of the most critical choices you can make. After all, this is the individual you are trusting to protect and provide for your loved ones in the event of life’s most traumatic experiences. As your Personal Family Lawyer®, we will develop a relationship with you and with your family that lasts not only for your lifetime, but for the lifetime of your children and their children, if that’s your wish. To learn more about our systems and services, contact us today.
This article is a service of CONNORS LAW, a Personal Family Lawyer® firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love.
That's why we offer a Family Wealth Planning Session,™ during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before, and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Family Wealth Planning Session and mention this article to find out how to get this $750 session at no charge.
