Legal estate planning is very important for individuals of all ages, but as the person grows older with time, the need for estate planning can become more complicated. Some people overlook estate planning, as many are petrified of the thought. Few believe that estate planning is only meant for the wealthy. But that’s not the case at all, an estate plan can be quite helpful for an aging adult and also for their families regardless of their wealth. An estate planning is much more than just a person’s assets and who will get them when a person dies. There is a multitude of reasons why people meet an estate planning lawyer. Having an estate plan in place can provide the senior loved one some peace of mind that his kin and wishes will be taken care of.
Meeting an estate planning lawyer for the very first time can be quite challenging and stressful, especially in case if it’s something you have been putting away for a while. An initial meeting with your lawyer is perfectly alright in order to discuss the afterward. Here are few lists of things that you might need at the time of initial meeting with your estate planning lawyer.
- ESTATE PLANNING DOCUMENTS OR WILLS ALREADY PREPARED
If you already have your will or other important documents prepared and you are just updating them, still taking the old copies along with you is a good idea. Well, it’s perfectly fine if you cannot find the estate planning documents right away, having them with you in an initial meeting with your attorney can make the things easier.
- A LONG LIST OF QUESTIONS
Preparing a list of questions and taking it along with you to the initial meeting with your attorney gives you a better chance to cover everything you want. Ask the attorney everything you ever wanted to and it can be a good time to clarify all your doubts and concerns you might have about estate planning so that you come to know the ways to deal with it.
- RETIREMENT, INVESTMENT, AND ALL BANK STATEMENTS
It’s important to include all retirement, bank and investment information in your legal estate planning. Well, it may be a complicated process but take make sure to collect the statements before meeting your law. All this information not only gives a clear picture of your assets to your lawyer but also includes the needed contact information.
Having an estate plan is important if you or your aging loved one wishes to get final affairs in order and protect your assets. Your estate planning lawyer can guide you through the entire estate plan, explain you the entire process and prepare all the necessary paperwork.
