Estate Planning Lawyer

It isn’t easy to think about a time when you won’t be able to do your work and to care for your loved ones in the ways that you do now. As a result, it could be difficult to think about estate planning because it forces you to think ahead to that time. This is one of the primary reasons why more than two out of every three American adults do not yet have an estate plan in place. Yet, as understandable as it is to resist crafting an estate plan – because the process of doing so is not particularly pleasant – it is critically important to accomplish this task. Dying without an estate plan in place will only burden your loved ones and leave the decision of where your hard-earned assets should go to the state.

Thankfully, you do not need to navigate this process alone. Some people attempt to craft estate plans online but the process is simply too complex and vulnerable to error to leave up to that kind of chance. Laws change all the time and a failure to execute your estate plan properly now could cost you dearly later. As a result, it is a good idea to speak with an estate planning attorney about how best to ensure that your wishes are honored and that your loved ones are protected after you are gone.

Is Creating an Estate Plan Difficult?

As an experienced Knoxville, TN estate planning lawyer – including those who practice at Carpenter & Lewis PLLC – can confirm, there are a lot of considerations that must be factored when crafting an estate plan. If you own complex assets or financial accounts, if you have many beneficiaries for whom you hope to provide, or you simply live a life that is not terribly straightforward, the estate planning process may indeed be complex. But, working with an estate planning lawyer can help to streamline the process and make it as efficient and effective as it possibly can be.

Your job will be to tell your lawyer what you own and what your wishes are concerning matters of end-of-life care and decision-making authority in the event of your incapacitation, and your lawyer’s job will be to translate your wishes into legally enforceable estate planning documentation. Essentially, you will tell your lawyer what you need and your lawyer will help to ensure that the courts and your loved ones respect your wishes.

It is important to choose an estate planning attorney who is likable and who you won’t mind seeing again occasionally, as the state plans do need to be updated from time to time. When you meet with an estate planning attorney, ask them how to go about updating your estate plan when you need it and ask if you will be receiving regular reminders from their office to check in about whether your plan reflects your current wishes and circumstances at any given time.