Calling to set up an estate planning meeting is overwhelming. We are emotionally overwhelmed by the idea of talking about what happens after we die. There are words thrown around such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, guardian, conservator, trustee, grantor, settlor, etc. You may not understand all of those words. The good news, it is okay. In fact, it is normal to not understand all of the terminology. Always, feel free to ask questions and the more prepared you are for your meeting the better you will feel when you leave the meeting. Remember, attorneys went to school for a long time to know all of the terminology and jargon.
Steps to Prepare for Your Consultation
The steps I recommend in preparing for an estate planning meeting are as follows:
1.) Call an attorney. Ask for a free consultation.
2.) Ask the attorney if you should bring any documents with you.
3.) Complete the attorney’s questionnaire to the extent you can.
4.) Go to the consultation with a list of questions that you thought of when reviewing the questionnaire.
Free Consultations
For the first step, many attorneys offer free consultations. Don’t assume that attorneys are expensive. The value in hiring an attorney comes from their experience. Online forms, online documents, and drafting documents yourself cannot bring into consideration the experience an attorney has. Every family is different. What matters in your consultation is your family. Be prepared to discuss your family. As an attorney, there is nothing more damaging to my client’s situation than for me to not know the details and complexities of their family. Does one of your children have a drug addiction? Does one of your children have special needs? Does children to you mean your children and your spouse’s children in your blended family? All of these unique details about your family affects the manner in which your estate plan is crafted. Know that each and every estate plan should be thoughtfully crafted, created, and prepared specific to the needs of your family. This cannot be replicated through internet forms.
Ask What You Need To Bring
Second, meeting with an attorney is stressful. I don’t know how many of my clients suddenly forget the names of their children or their dates of birth. Did they really forget? No, but it is stressful. So, ask ahead of time what you need to bring, which helps you feel prepared and focus on the questions instead of worrying about the details.
Be Prepared
Third, complete the questionnaire to the extent possible but don’t feel pressure if you don’t understand the question or you have more questions for the attorney. Providing the questionnaire and completing what you can allows you to make the most of the time in the free consultation to focus on the questions you do have.
Bring Questions
Fourth, bring your questions to the consultation. There is truly no stupid question. Each question, inclination or hesitation that arose in you, arose because the question relates to your situation, your family, your estate. This is your estate. These are your decisions and these are important decisions. So your questions are important. Bring those questions. If you feel like the attorney is not listening to your questions, then this may not be the best attorney for you.
Planning your estate is a difficult process for most but completing your estate plan will bring you a sense of peace of mind. Thus, do not shy away from planning your estate because you are overwhelmed or afraid. Instead, take it one step at a time. As always, if you want a free consultation with our office, feel free to call us at 720-460-1476.
