If you're going to go to an online website or software program for estate planning, it doesn't provide you any meaningful guidance. If you know what all the options mean and what the ramifications of making those choices are going to be, then that is great. The vast majority of people, even attorneys who aren't estate planners, don't realize what all of those ramifications are. There are too many things that they don't think about, like naming temporary guardians. They don’t think about whether they need to exclude people as potential guardians or protect assets. If you know what you're doing, you can do it yourself. However, most people don't realize the ramifications of something so complicated, and you never know what you don’t know.
Major Pitfalls That Can Come From Creating Your Own Estate Plan
The biggest pitfall is creating trusts and not funding them. We see people come in who have created a trust but didn't realize the importance of funding it. Working with an attorney who doesn't think about this issue is not helping you either. Oftentimes, people only have one person named in each role. The problem is, something can happen to that person before your plan goes into effect and you haven’t named anyone else.
What Sets You And Your Firm Apart In Handling Estate Planning Matters?
I think what matters is being comfortable with the person you're working with and getting the guidance you need, not just getting a standardized form. It's about really customizing a plan for you, your family, and your family's needs. Some of the things that we do go above and beyond what most other attorneys do, in this field. That includes the three-meeting process, where we bring you back in and make sure that your assets are being funded into your trust. I don't want you to spend money on me creating this trust for you and then it never gets funded, and your family ends up in probate court anyway.
We also pass on more than just the financial assets with the family legacy conversations that we do, where we share your memories, experiences, and wisdom. We also bring everyone back regularly, either every three years or every year, and make sure that their plan is still working for them.
For more information on Estate Planning Without An Attorney In CA, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (951) 332-7079 today.