When it comes to estate planning, the availability of cheap, quick, and DIY options can be attractive.  But what many people don’t realize is that these internet templates often lack the nuance and customization needed to fully protect your assets and loved ones.  Estate planning isn’t just about filling out forms, it’s about creating a legal plan specifically tailored to your family and circumstances.  Working with an experienced estate planning attorney not only ensures that your plan is legally sound and strategic, but also provides you with personalized guidance, ongoing support, and the peace of mind that your family is truly protected. In the long run, the risks of a DIY estate plan outweigh any initial savings.

Not Working with an Estate Planning Attorney Creates Risk for Your Family

There are less qualified options than working with an estate planning attorney available for families who may simply not know better.  Unaware of the complexities of estate planning, these families may turn to less qualified options.  In the legal community, these are often referred to as “bare bones” estate plans.  They involve wills and trusts that are often prepared by attorneys who do not focus on estate planning or sometimes even by non-attorneys.  Beware of these documents, as they might not comply with state law, often lack essential personalized planning, such as provisions for guardianship of minor children, asset protection strategies, or tax-saving mechanisms to protect your family, and frequently skip the follow-up work required to ensure the plan works as intended upon your death—often causing your family unnecessary expense, time, and stress.

Even worse, some people attempt to draft their own estate plans using online websites or software.  These are ultimately fill-in-the-blank form plans and are not designed to account for the specific requirements and nuances of state law.  Estate planning laws vary widely between states, and a document that works in one state might not be valid in another.  Additionally, I have personally seen judges outright refuse to accept documents submitted by individuals who created those documents using legal drafting websites like LegalZoom.  While DIY is perfectly fine for crafts or small home projects, I do not recommend going the DIY route for estate planning documents.  The bargain option can cost your family thousands after you’re gone, if it even works at all.

 

An Estate Planning Attorney Will Create a Custom Plan that Actually Works

Given these risks, it’s important to understand the value of working with a professional. A better idea than taking the DIY approach is to work with an attorney who specifically focuses on estate planning.  Estate planning is a unique area of law with many nuances, and having the luxury of a professional providing tailored advice can be the difference that gives you true peace of mind, knowing that you’ve protected your family.  One of the most important things that an estate planning attorney provides is education.  There are many moving parts to a comprehensive estate plan, not just a will or a trust.  This can create confusion when trying to learn the ins and outs by yourself, especially with so much conflicting information online.  A knowledgeable estate planning attorney can cut through the noise to make things simple and understandable.

An experienced estate planning attorney will ask detailed questions about your family and goals, using their experience to provide advice tailored to your unique situation.  No two families are the same, and neither should their estate plans be.  An estate plan for a family with one young child born during the marriage will have drastically different provisions than a plan created for a blended family with grown children.  With this in mind, advice that is personalized to each unique family is incredibly important and not possible from less qualified estate planning options.  Along with personalized advice, an estate planning attorney will lay out all the options available to you, discussing the pros and cons of each, and helping you determine which options may or may not be the best fit.

 

An Estate Planning Attorney Will be There for You and Your Family for Years to Come

Once a qualified estate planning attorney creates a customized estate plan, the service doesn’t end there.  Essential follow-up work, like updating beneficiary designations on investment accounts and life insurance policies and transferring your home and business to your validly created trust, is critical to ensuring your plan works as intended.  These important steps are often overlooked and can create nightmare scenarios if neglected.

Beyond that, estate planning is not a “set it and forget it” process.  As your life changes, so should your plan.  A dedicated estate planning attorney offers ongoing advice, helping your family when it matters most and updating your plan to reflect changes in your circumstances.  Often, people who are named in specific roles in estate plans do not necessarily know what to do after that person passes away and the time comes for them to act.  It is important to have someone who can guide your named individuals through this process—preferably someone familiar with your family and custom legal plan.  Not only is having an estate planning attorney there a benefit to your people after you’re gone, but it also provides support during your lifetime.  A true estate planning attorney takes pride not only in delivering a well-crafted legal plan but also in offering peace of mind that it’s done correctly, that you have someone to call whenever you have questions, and that they’re ready to review and update the plan for you—free of charge—at regular intervals as your family, finances, or goals change over time.

 

Your Family Deserves More than DIY Documents

In the end, estate planning is about much more than just filling out forms; it’s about ensuring your family and assets are properly protected for the long term.  While DIY solutions may seem cheap and convenient, they often fall short of providing the comprehensive protection and peace of mind that working with an experienced estate planning attorney offers.  By choosing professional guidance, you’ll benefit from a customized plan that addresses your unique needs and continues to adapt as your circumstances change.  When it comes to protecting your family, there’s no substitute for the experience and ongoing support of a dedicated estate planning attorney.  Our office is proud of the fact that our sole focus is on estate planning and that we are there for our clients and their families for years to come. Schedule an appointment with me today by clicking the link below.