We’ve all heard the saying, “you get what you pay for.” That is so true when it comes to estate planning documents.
More Than Just Forms.
Estate planning requires a lot more than just filling out a form. Don’t get us wrong, the forms are important, but putting together a comprehensive plan requires careful thought, planning, and preparation. Estate planning attorneys do far more than just prepare documents that will keep your estate out of the expensive and time-consuming probate. They think about and analyze your needs. A good estate planning attorney will be extremely thorough in drafting every possible document to best assist your family, while also preparing for every possible unexpected circumstance that could possibly arise.
Documents That are Properly Prepared Will Avoid Probate and Will Carry Out Your Wishes.
The problem with do-it-yourself or cheap form estate planning documents is that they may ultimately cost you more in the long run. Even seemingly minor mistakes can be very expensive and time consuming to fix—if, indeed they can be fixed at all. Using outdated documents, or forms that do not comply with your state’s particular requirements will cost you more in the end because they can result in your estate having to go through probate, or can cause expensive will contests.
Oversights or mistakes made in preparing the estate planning documents are also costly because they can result in a completely ineffective plan. For example, many people do not understand how to properly name primary and alternative death beneficiaries to retirement accounts. Getting the death beneficiary wrong could result in someone other than the person you want, getting some or all of the proceeds. When a large retirement fund is at stake, you would certainly not want to take this risk.
Cheap estate planning tools are for basic probate and conservatorship avoidance. They do not take into account your particular circumstances and they are not intended to accurately protect you for each one of those unexpected circumstances, as referenced above. For example, certain situations, such as the needs of blended families, protecting an estate from Medi-Cal recovery, disinheritance, or protecting inheritances for beneficiaries that require on-going trusts (Special Needs Trusts, asset protection trusts, support trusts) require careful thought and preparation and are best handled by experienced counsel. You may pay more for these documents, but the value of having your estate planning documents properly prepared is critical.
Premiere Estate Planning.
At Esser, Bradley and Khalsa, we have had 100% success with our estate planning documents. Our clients have never had to worry about probate issues as a result of documents we drafted. A Legacy Estate Plan is a plan that is customized by Esser, Bradley and Khalsa, in Sedona, Arizona to fit your estate planning needs. Our estate planning attorneys will work with you during a FREE consultation to discuss the specifics of your estate and your desired manner of distribution. Based on our conversation, our estate planning lawyers will draft a specific Legacy Estate Plan for your needs that will include both your lifetime estate plan as well as your long-term after life estate plan. Don’t wait! Your future and your family’s future is at stake! Contact us today to set up your free appointment.
