What Does an Estate Planning Attorney Do?
An estate planning attorney has multiple responsibilities, including drafting trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and other legally binding documents to ensure that your wishes are respected at the time of their death or incapacity.
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Estate Planning vs. Probate
The goal of estate planning is to make all matters concerning the division of assets clear, to avoid the estate from going to probate and be administered through the probate courts. There are financial benefits to planning ahead. You can avoid the time and expense of the probate costs and expenses not to mention the time delay caused by probate. Because estate planning lawyers are knowledgeable about probate law and estate administration, they can recommend various instruments, like trusts to ensure that your beneficiaries’ inheritance isn’t eaten up by excessive probate fees and expenses.
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Hiring an estate planning lawyer to draft a will or trust can also help to avoid a less than favorable outcome for your heirs by keeping them out of the probate court.