What Is Estate Planning?
Estate planning is the preparation of tasks that serve to manage the asset base of an individual in the event of their incapacitation or death. The planning includes the bequest or inheritance of assets to heirs and the settlement of estate taxes. Most estate plans are designed with the help of an attorney experienced in estate law.
There are various Estate Planning agencies that provide attorneys for estate planning. One such reputed firm is Epic Planning service company.
They offer services like:
- Epic home services
- Epic retirement services consulting LLC
- Epic legal document solutions
Understanding Estate Planning
Estate planning involves determining how the assets of an individual will be preserved, managed, and distributed after the event of his death. It also takes into account the management of his properties and financial obligations when they become incapacitated.
Assets that make up an individual’s estate are houses, cars, stocks, artwork, life insurance, pensions, and debt. Individuals can have many reasons for planning an estate, such as preserving family wealth, providing for spouse and children, funding the education of children or grandchildren, or leaving the legacy behind for a charitable cause.
The first step required in estate planning is writing a will. Other estate planning work includes the following:
- Limit estate taxes by the process of setting up trust accounts in the names of beneficiaries
- Establish a guardian for the dependents who are living
- Name an executor
- Create or update beneficiaries on plans such as life insurance, IRAs, and 401(k)s
- Sett up funeral arrangements
- Establish annual gifts to stated charitable and non-profit organizations to reduce the taxable estate
- Set up a durable power of attorney (POA) to direct assets and investments
Estate planning attorneys are also referred to as estate law attorneys or probate attorneys. They have licences and are law professionals with a thorough understanding of the state and federal laws. An estate planning attorney can also provide you with assistance in the following tasks:
- To Create a will
- To designate your beneficiaries
- To establish a durable power of attorney and medical durable power of attorney
- To find ways to reduce and avoid estate tax when possible
- To find ways to avoid the probate court process
- To set up any trusts you might need to protect your assets
Vital Qualities You Should Look For In An Estate-Planning Attorney
Here are seven essential qualities you should look for in an estate-planning attorney:
1. A Focused Individual
Estate planning is a complex task that requires a range of skills, efficiency, and knowledge and should demonstrate the following:
- They know the proper way to handle the estate plans
- They are aware of the regional estate laws, probate laws, Medicaid laws, and tax laws
- Their focus remains on the practice of probate, trust, living wills, probate avoidance, medical asset protection, estate tax planning, and healthcare proxy.
However, a few attorneys focus on other areas of law, such as divorce or personal injury, and attempt to add estate planning to their skills list. These attorneys create your estate plan by inputting information into automated software, without knowing the ins and outs of the process and can leave you with a weak, half-crafted estate plan.
To be sure that your attorney is the right one, ensure that they focus their practice exclusively on every aspect of estate planning.
2. Has Relevant Skills in Relevant Areas
Estate planning has a wide range of topics like estate tax returns, gift tax returns, Medic-aid planning, will development, property law, disability arrangements, and a few other subjects. The top estate planning attorneys have the knowledge and excellent skills to guide you through every aspect of your estate plan, especially if you have unique needs.
3. Utilizes Modern Technology
Some estate planners use the same methods and tools for decades. While these attorneys may do their jobs well, they risk trying modern practices that could benefit you as a client.
New technology streamlines much of the tasks of estate planners, paving a way for them to focus on you. Aside from providing exceptional customer service, ensure that your trust attorney takes advantage of cutting-edge technology throughout the process of estate-planning.
4. Performs Quickly and Efficiently
Time is essential when it comes to creating an estate plan, especially if you are nearing the end of your life.
The dedicated trust attorneys can prepare your first draft within a few weeks and finalize it in two months or less. Attorneys who require more than a few months either may have too many clients on their hands, meaning they probably will not prioritize your case, or is inefficient.
As you look for the right estate planning attorney, be sure to ask how long it will take to draft your plan. Your attorney should be able to give you a reasonable estimate, and you can hold them accountable if this time frame throughout the drafting process is not met.
5. Offers Flat Fees
Estate-planning attorneys should be clear and honest about every cost involved in creating your plan. Many estate planning attorneys charge a one-time, fixed price for all estate planning services, providing you the peace of mind of knowing you can accomplish your objectives for an all-inclusive investment. You should always ask to sign a fee agreement that can ensure that you are aware of every cost involved.
6. Guides you through every step of the process
Most clients who hire estate planning attorneys know little to nothing about the process.
When you hire a good estate planning attorney, they will guide you through every step and explain each task in a way you can understand. You should have the feeling that your estate attorney is willing to go above and beyond to help you feel confident and informed about the estate plan they have drafted. Experienced estate planning attorneys guide you through the legal terminology in your estate planning documents in order to ensure all your wishes are clearly outlined and attended to.
7. Keeps in touch and updates regularly
The day you receive final copies of your plan is not the last time you hear from your estate attorney if he extends his relationship to be good with you. The best estate planning attorneys reach out to their clients through the years to provide assistance in re-accessing their goals and make any relevant changes if needed.
Conclusion
Estate planning is a crucial component that helps in preparing for your future. The legal documents in estate planning address every aspect of your end-of-life requests, including your will, power of attorney, living will, trusts, etc.
To ensure that your estate plan includes every necessary detail of your end-of-life goals, you should hire skilled, competent top estate-planning attorneys to walk you through the process.
The motto of The Epic Planning service company is to support educational, charitable, scientific, and religious organizations and activities by providing financial and estate planning literacy. They have the best possible estate planning attorneys to guide you.