The Benefits of a Knowledgeable Estate Planning Attorney
When you decide to put your affairs in order, so that your property will be distributed according to your wishes, you don’t have to use an attorney to accomplish your objective, but doing so is always in your best interests. Plenty of online resources allow you to fill in the blanks and print out a will. Unfortunately, that approach is often a recipe for failure. Here are just a few reasons why it’s better to trust your estate planning to a professional.
You’ll Make Better Choices
The estate planning process is potentially complex, with a wide array of options for reaching your goals. You can prepare and execute a will, but that will must be submitted to the probate court for administration upon your death, which can cost money and hold up the transfer of property. An experienced and knowledgeable lawyer will help you understand your alternatives:
- You may prefer to transfer assets to a trust, which will potentially cost more upfront, but preserve assets in your estate after your death; or
- You may opt to retitle property jointly with heirs, so that it passes by operation of law at your death, without need for the probate process.
When you work with an experienced attorney can give you new ways of thinking about the potential transfer of your property and ensure that your bequests align more closely with your intentions.
You’ll Avoid the Potential for Mistakes and Will Contests
An experienced attorney understands the essential language that needs to be in a will and knows exactly what needs to be done to ensure that your will is legally in force at the time of your death. An attorney can also anticipate potential will contests and take steps to minimize the risk that other potential heirs will challenge the validity of the will.
An Attorney Can Oversee the Distribution of Assets After Your Death
Though a will typically names an executor, administrator, or personal representative to handle the completion of all tasks under the will, it’s common for the attorney who drafts your will to handle all matters with the probate court to finalize your estate. The attorney typically works closely with the executor to ensure that any documents of title are properly transferred and that assets are distributed according to your wishes.
Using an Attorney Makes It Easier to Modify a Will
If circumstances change and you want to revise how property is distributed under your will, your attorney will typically prepare what is known as a “codicil,” amending the relevant provisions. An experienced attorney can do that fairly quickly and in ways that don’t create confusion about the disposition of property.
Contact the Divorce and Family Law Attorneys at Bailey & Galyen
At the law office of Bailey & Galyen, we offer a free initial consultation to every client. For an appointment with an experienced Texas estate planning attorney, contact us by e-mail or call our offices at 844-402-2992. We will take your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
