Get to Know Your Port Saint Lucie Estate Planning Lawyer Before You Hire Him

The decision to begin estate planning is often a difficult one, but taking the step to call an estate planning lawyer in your area is one of the best things you can do to protect you and your family in the future.

If you’ve already made the decision to get started on the estate planning process, your next step will be to find a Port Saint Lucie estate planning lawyer who can help you. But this step is not as easy as it might sound. Your attorney will need to meet several criteria before you actually decide to hire him or her. What criteria? Let’s take a look at some of the questions you’ll want to be prepared to ask an estate planning lawyer at your first meeting.

Question 1. Do you specialize in estate planning?

This is one of the most important questions you can ask a lawyer when you want to create an estate plan. All lawyers in Florida have to be licensed by the state if they want to practice law here. However, just because a lawyer has a license, that doesn’t make him or her suitable to your needs.

Always ask the lawyer if he or she specializes in estate planning. Alternately, you can ask how much time the attorney spends on estate planning issues. You want an attorney who spends the majority of his or her time thinking about estate planning and helping people create their plans. Attorneys who spend a small amount of time dealing with estate planning issues are not right for you.

Question 2. Can you explain the process to me?

Your lawyer should be able to explain the process to you in a way you understand, without overwhelming you with terms and jargon. If you find yourself lost in the terminology and unable to follow along, you will want to tell your attorney about your confusion. You will be much more interested in the process if you can understand all the pieces involved and why you are taking certain steps. If you find an attorney who cannot explain the steps to you so that you understand them, you might need to consider someone else.

Question 3. What will I have to do?

You and your estate planning will work together to match your needs and desires with the right kind of plan. The estate planning process is often fairly easy, but you will definitely want to know what your responsibilities are. Ask the attorney how he or she goes about creating an estate plan and what you will be required of you. You want to know what’s expected of you, and what you can expect from your lawyer.