Three Reasons It Is Advisable to Hire an Estate Attorney When Planning Your Estate

Law Blog

Estate attorneys are lawyers who specialize in matters of estate planning. Estate planning involves making a plan of how you're your estate (assets, property, investments, and money) should get administered or allocated to your heir or beneficiaries in the event you become incapacitated or pass away.

Thus, estate planning should be done in advance as a precautionary measure to ensure your estate gets divided or managed according to your wishes should you die or become incapacitated. When planning your estate, it is advisable to enlist the services of an estate attorney to help you formulate your will appropriately and per the law. Thus, by hiring an estate attorney, you get to enjoy the following benefits.

Ensuring You Plan Your Estate Per the Law

Probate and trust laws vary in every state. Additionally, these laws are regularly amended, and thus it is essential to ensure your estate documents are drafted per the current laws. Additionally, should the laws get changed or amended after you have already drafted your will, it is essential to update it to the current stipulations and regulations.

Thus, it is essential to have an estate lawyer assist you in deciphering the current estate laws to ensure your heir and beneficiaries do not encounter problems with the law. Additionally, an estate lawyer will keep you updated on the latest changes to the laws and help you amend your will accordingly.

Avoiding Family Squabbles

Just because you drafted your will and informed your family about it doesn't automatically ensure that they will respect it. In some instances, some family members may not agree with the estate designations or asset titling, and as a result, a family dispute ensues.

However, estate lawyers act as independent trustees of your will because they have no vested interests in your estate. Thus, it is advisable to leave the original copy of your will with your estate attorney for safekeeping and ensuring that it is respected. Additionally, it is best to have your estate attorney represent your will to your beneficiaries and heirs when the time comes. Thus, there will be no disputes in the family over your estate because you will have left your will with an estate lawyer who will see to it that your wishes are respected.

Minimizing Tax Burdens

Most people do not know this, but inheritances are subject to taxation. Thus, when your estate gets divided among your beneficiaries and heirs, the taxman will claim a portion of it. However, there are various ways to minimize how much tax gets levied on your estate. Besides, wouldn't you want your beneficiaries and heirs to receive as much of your estate as possible?

An estate lawyer can help you plan your estate in a manner that minimizes the amount of taxes that will get levied on your estate before your heirs and beneficiaries inherit it. For instance, an estate attorney can help you set up trusts for your family members that will mature at a later date. The main benefit of trusts is that the government does not tax them, and thus they are an efficient way of minimizing the tax burden on your estate.

To learn more, contact local estate lawyers. 

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12 July 2021

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