5 Things an Estate Planning Attorney Can Help You With

HIPAA is in place to create Having a plan in place that tells your loved ones how to manage your estate once you are gone is one of the most important things you can do to show you care. A Lapeer County estate planning attorney can help.

Even if you have an average amount of assets and there is nothing complex about your life, estate planning can still be challenging. There are laws that govern how your estate will be handled after your death and failing to put a plan in place can make things even more difficult for your family. A Lapeer County estate planning attorney can answer your questions and ensure that things go as smoothly as possible for your loved ones when the time comes to settle your estate.

An estate planning attorney can help you:

1. Help You Create a Will that is Custom-designed to Suit Your Needs
It is possible to create a will on your own and people do it all the time. But the only way you can be sure the document is full-proof and will stand up to legal scrutiny once you are gone is to have a lawyer assist you with the process.

A Lapeer County estate planning attorney will guide your decisions and make sure that your unique circumstances are addressed. They can also make changes as changes occur over the course of your life.

2. Offer Suggestions for Avoiding Probate
Probate is a complicated process that can extend the length of time it takes for your family to settle your estate. Luckily, there are things you can do in advance to avoid probate entirely or at least make sure it is as smooth as possible. For instance, an estate planning attorney will help you determine if joint property ownership, gifts, death beneficiaries, or trust will be the right tools to ease the probate process.

3. Help You Determine Which Estate Planning Tools Will Be Most Beneficial
Speaking of trusts and the other tools designed to help you with estate planning; a Lapeer County estate planning attorney will help you determine which tools are most suitable for your situation. Additionally, an attorney can help you set up a living will or durable power of attorney and can help you create a plan for your children should something happen to you before they are old enough to care for themselves.

4. Assist You with Updates to Your Estate Plan
It is never too early to have an estate plan in place, but that does not mean that what you plan now will be sufficient in a decade or two. A Lapeer County estate planning attorney will alert you to when it is time to make updates to your plans and help you with those updates.

5. Make Sure Your Estate Plan Remains Solid
Changes occur to estate laws and you need to be sure that your plans will hold up if any changes occur. Only an estate planning lawyer will be up-to-date and understand how the latest laws affect you.