“[T]he ultimate result is exactly what you set out to achieve.”
As noted in a recent media focus on preparing for an initial meeting with an estate planning attorney, that is the happy ending in any given estate administration scenario. You were hoping for “A,” and you got “A.”
Getting it right unsurprisingly requires a bit of advance planning, which really isn’t too surprising, is it? In virtually any realm of life, having things work out the way they should concerning any matter of some complexity mandates that a bit of homework be done in the first instance.
And that is certainly true as regards effective estate planning. As the writer in the above-cited article stresses, honing in on a few core areas prior to a first sit down with your attorney can pay big dividends both in an immediate sense and over the long term.
So come prepared, at least as far as having a few essentials focused upon in advance.
Here’s one: Think about what you own and owe and do some relevant document gathering and assembling to help your attorney see the big picture.
And think about people who might be suitable to step in and speak for you in the event that incapacity renders you incapable of making important health-related or financial decisions.
Think, too, about who you might optimally envision as an executor for your will and/or as a trustee for planning vehicles you might end up establishing to provide for loved ones.
No proven estate planning attorney expects a client to walk in the door with every relevant document in hand and every aspect regarding planning already fully understood and considered.
That attorney knows from experience, though, that a person who has put a bit of time and effort into preparing for an initial meeting will be rewarded at every juncture of the planning process thereafter.
Any person with questions or concerns regarding what to think about and how to prepare for a first planning meeting can quickly glean the essentials by contacting an experienced and empathetic estate planning attorney. Your lawyer fully anticipates such a query and can provide helpful information that will make the planning process easier and more productive.
