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19 Sep, 2024 by Affordable auto
Attorney Jones did the best she could when she was allowed to do her job. The firm itself was unorganized and money hungry. I’ve never felt more abandoned and disappointed in my life. They took $15000 and couldn’t even remember what I hired them for in the first place. The judge called the number that was registered with the state bar during a hearing where they were supposed to represent me in and their number was disconnected. This was a truly horrible experience and even worse I got the matter resolved myself after they left me hanging. My public defender did majority of the work. Don’t waste your time or money.
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06 Sep, 2024 by Matthew turpin
19 Aug, 2024 by Michelle zanfardino
Highly recommend Chance for your real estate legal needs. After one transaction he quickly became my go to attorney for my buyers. He's prompt to respond and easy to get a hold of when needed and that's a HUGE plus. I love that I do not have to jump through hoops to get in touch with him. Chance thoroughly reviews the settlement documents with all parties and communicates when we are recorded.
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12 Jul, 2024 by Megan giroux
Eric is passionate about connecting with his clients who may be in crisis to let them know their options and walk every step of the way with them. I have been so impressed with his professionalism and approachability as a family law attorney.
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09 Jul, 2024 by Chekad sarami
Scott is an incredibly intelligent and reliable attorney. He meticulously reads all the documents and truly cares for his clients. With his extensive experience, Scott consistently outmaneuvers other attorneys by employing smart strategies that greatly benefit your case. I am extremely happy with the outcome. It was a pleasure working with Scott and his assistant, James.
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14 Jun, 2024 by Shes meok
I am absolutely heart broken with the lack of care that was used. I retained Abby Holt to represent me regarding an estate dispute. Cut and dry my dad’s siblings said I didn’t exist and claimed to be his only heirs. This issue was time sensitive. She did nothing but makes phone calls, no letters or emails documenting correspondence between administrators atty..nothing. She left the firm and me without representation after nearly 5 months... She never filed a claim on my behalf. I’m not a lawyer I assumed I only needed to prove our relationship. She never should have taken my case or money. Now it’s too late for me to file a claim..
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25 Feb, 2024 by Joe mcgarry
Best law firm in NC
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16 Apr, 2023 by Joanne mcdowell
Heidi Bloom (family law @ Wyrick Robbins) made me reschedule a hearing in Durham Co in late 2018 because she had a previous engagement. But she lied and said it was because all the judges in Durham are 'numbskulls' and wouldn't understand my UCCJEA case. She said we needed to file in Wake County where, I later found out, her husband is a judge! We lost because Heidi left out BOTH court orders that proved our case! It was such a blatant omission, I have to wonder if she did it on purpose. She also never bothered to show up to the hearing I rescheduled to accommodate HER schedule, and sent a junior attorney without obtaining my consent to do so. After she lost my case, she told me she never had the court order in question and tried to extort $700 to "call in some favors" to get it! I showed her proof that she'd had the documents for six months, and she responded that she "couldn't be expected to read everything!". Then she delayed my appeal until the last minute and told me I'd need to pay her $10,500 to proceed to correct HER negligence! My appeal ended up being handled pro bono by DVLeap, an anti domestic violence charity. Sadly, I lost the case there, too, because I couldn't bring up the court order Heidi neglected to include! Heidi is a very dishonest attorney. She has caused my family over four years of torment cleaning up her negligent mess. She also neglected to disclose that she's Facebook friends with BOTH lawyers for the opposing side. Extremely dishonest human. Beware. Check out AVVO for other bad reviews from her past clients. I advise this because I wish I'd known how destructive hiring her would be to my family. By the way, when I brought all of this to the attention of Wyrick Robbins' general counsel, they threatened to sue me! PLEASE AVOID THESE PEOPLE.
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24 Mar, 2023 by Woody wilson
Excellent attorneys
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23 Apr, 2024 by Diana braun
29 Feb, 2024 by Kyle wray
We have worked with this firm for several closings and they are absolutely fantastic to deal with. They are smart, professional and caring. They make sure everything is executed perfectly.
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28 Nov, 2023 by Irina k
I was required to use this law office through a relocation agreement. I would not recommend this office, if you have the choice. There were multiple instances where information provided was incomplete and required quite a bit of back and forth. With a tight timeline for purchase as an out of state buyer, this back and forth resulted in wasted time and additional stressors.
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11 Apr, 2017 by Larry
Emily was very helpful with an estate question that I had. She took the time to listen and responded in a timely, helpful and professional way. I will not hesitate to hire Ms. Weatherford in the future, should the need arise.
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19 May, 2016 by Anonymous
Emily helped us create and update our Estate Plan consistent with NC Law. She was extremely knowledgeable, very professional and great to work with. We would strongly recommend her services to others.
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16 May, 2016 by Anonymous
Ms Emily Weatherford of Kratt Dedmond & Associates was not the first to handle my estate planning but she brought a clarity and care to the process I had not before experienced. Not only was she able to explain multiple options so their benefits and limitations were apparent, as well as answer any questions I had, she was also able to present the larger picture with regard to my particular circumstances. She asked the right questions and grasped what was needed, then came up with more than one suggestion which we then considered together.
I honestly didn’t know this often difficult to contemplate job of working through powers of attorney both regular and health, and setting up a will, could be done with understanding and excellent communication to accompany legal expertise. Ms Weatherford possesses all of these attributes and I would highly recommend her services as an attorney. I would also commend those working with her who arranged the accompanying paperwork in a timely and efficient manner.
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27 Nov, 2018 by Anonymous
Katie was amazing. Her office was organized and very responsive. Her staff was always efficient and Katie was always available when we needed.
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05 Nov, 2018 by Anonymous
Completed the final closing as per our agreement. The only problem was I never saw Katie during the transaction. Her assistant was pleasant and completed the transaction but I would have enjoyed meeting the owner.
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08 Apr, 2017 by Anonymous
throughout entire process she was amazing. Always kept us aware of progress as it occured, calming through stressful moments and ultimately helped to make our closing a major success
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15 Aug, 2023 by Thach vincent
I would not recommend this attorney to anyone who is seeking someone who cares about all families and women especially.
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05 Aug, 2023 by Eve maletz
17 Jul, 2021 by Jon mabbett
15 Aug, 2023 by Thach vincent
I would not recommend this attorney to anyone who is seeking someone who cares about all families and women especially.
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05 Aug, 2023 by Eve maletz
17 Jul, 2021 by Jon mabbett
15 Aug, 2023 by Thach vincent
I would not recommend this attorney to anyone who is seeking someone who cares about all families and women especially.
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05 Aug, 2023 by Eve maletz
17 Jul, 2021 by Jon mabbett
26 Oct, 2021 by Teresa henson
Reached out for a consultation and no response at all .
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21 Jun, 2021 by Tony wilson
Website says there open but just got an email back within 30 minutes of a consultation request stating the following....so apparently there all book up as of today better luck else where
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27 Apr, 2021 by Reggie daniel jr.
27 Apr, 2022 by Anonymous
Jeni was phenomenal! Not only was she extremely knowledgeable but very patient as well. She made sure to go over points I found difficult to understand and explained them very thoroughly. I was so pleased with her work ethics and professionalism! I will definitely hire Jeni Snider in the future!
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26 Oct, 2021 by Teresa henson
Reached out for a consultation and no response at all .
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21 Jun, 2021 by Tony wilson
Website says there open but just got an email back within 30 minutes of a consultation request stating the following....so apparently there all book up as of today better luck else where
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11 May, 2022 by Bev
Very Professional & Strong & Fierce! Understood, Listened & knew I needed her to fight a narcissistic person..
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14 Oct, 2019 by Anonymous
Basically Misfits was hired by me she appeared it to court dates nothing was accomplished basically I was ordered to come to court both times when trying to follow up with Misfits and touch base with her to get information or give information in reference to my case I was contacted days later if at all basically I was referred to her and I'm very disappointed in the outcome basically just started all over again having to hire another attorney at this point in having to do what I done want to go to her to do I'm so no I would not recommend her just based on my personal experience and her lack of communication and lack of empathy towards my case as a client as a paying client I felt that it should have been more attention paid to my case to where I do not have to follow up now again and have to waste some more money on another attorney to do what I paid for Misfits to do in the first place so I'm very unhappy very disappointed with the communication not to mention then at the end of it all I was told that it was a conflict of interest as to the courthouse where I need to be in where she needs to be so let that be a lesson learned yes I lost $1,500 but I'm getting cancer from another attorney at this point so do your research read your reviews make sure that you want to attorney who makes you feel like your case is important as the next person's
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02 Oct, 2019 by Desiree
Sheneshia Fitts defended me in my child custody case 9/30/2019. She is extremely professional, kind, encouraging, and FIERCE! Attorney Fitts not only won my case in court but she brought my family back together. She is worth every penny because she WILL FIGHT FOR YOU! Thank you so much attorney Fitts, I could never repay you for what you did for my family but I will forever be thankful for you! GOD BLESS YOU!
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07 Apr, 2024 by Keith disano
Chess Griffin and the firm's staff were professional and provided excellent legal services. We would definitely recommend this law firm to our friends and family.
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01 Apr, 2024 by Kimberly hayes
Very unprofessional and takes on claims from plaintiffs without being knowledgable of the facts. They place false claims to the courts. They do not validate any claimant information and files false allegations to the courts. Not a very thorough firm.
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19 Oct, 2023 by Gerain tally
Friendly and professional.
Did my paper work in a timely manner. Love this place.
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01 Jul, 2024 by Purnima
He is an excellent lawyer, but he did not answer my calls in months. No other problem. He always did a good job and was pleasant.
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24 May, 2015 by Anonymous
Very nice man.helping me tremendously.would recommend to anyone anytime anywhere
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05 Sep, 2011 by Anonymous
John Finch has handled several legal matters for me and my family including wills, trusts and real estate closings. He has a great deal of expertise and experience and we always knew we were in good hands. if we ever had questions, he answered them thoughtfully and thoroughly. We always were certain he had our best interests in mind.
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31 May, 2018 by Anonymous
Dee Wallis delayed in providing an offer to purchase for a real estate cash purchase I was trying to make, charged an enormous amount of money to generate the offer, and then treated my seller so poorly, they backed out of the deal rather than continue to interact with her. She had helped me before, but this was an important deal for me, which went south, and she still wants me to pay her huge fee. I won’t be using her again.
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24 Feb, 2015 by Kevin
Fast, efficient, thorough, consistent and dependable pretty well sums it up. Her unique experience with the issues concerning elder persons was extremely helpful to us. We highly recommend her!
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23 Feb, 2015 by Gerhard
We have dealt with many lawyers over the years, but none better than Diane. She gives sound advice, quick response and expedient turn-over of legal documents for both our company and for ourselves. Her advice alone is worth every penny, and her compassion and concern for her clients is second to none. She simplifies and makes understandable the maze of complex legalities and isues with ease and thoroughness. We give her the highest rating possible without reservation! Many thanks Diane for all your help.
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07 Jun, 2023 by Anonymous
I wish I'd known everything I do now when I hired this firm. They are likely very good at estate planning. That's quite different from Trust litigation. This review is not personal but based solely on performance. Personally, they can be nice, that is until I stuck to my guns that their performance was lacking. Then Mr. Brady was quite rude. Unfortunately, Mr. Brady sold the firm to me as having strong Trustee removal litigation experience. I definitely do not believe that to be true now. Mr. Brady met with me, made strong promises of winning my case and then handed my case off to a much less experienced attorney, Mr. Dean, who wasn't even in our meeting. However, I was charged experienced-attorney rates for his sub-par performance. Communication, case management, strategy and knowledge of Trust law were all ongoing issues. I expressed concern at various junctures. When I requested a different attorney and demanded a meeting with Mr. Brady, he met with me but ignored my request and brought Mr. Dean to the meeting, assuring me he could handle the case, then charged me for their time to meet. I should have fired them then, but I very much wanted to believe they would step up and come through for me. Mr. Brady is a smooth talker and a good salesman. The case and the fees drug on well over a year! I had to push hard for a court date. Mr. Dean likes to settle because he is obviously scared of court. As the court date drew near it grew more apparent that Mr. Dean was not experienced. He did not demonstrate a knowledge of Trust law, or my specific Trust document, which was a huge detriment to my case. I ended up doing consults with other well-known attorneys in Trust litigation (on the TOP attorneys list) and they "weren't aware" that the firm had the needed expertise IE they don't come up against them in court. One who knew Mr. Dean described him as inexperienced. But they did not have the time to take my case, especially with court impending. We did end up going to court and it was painful. Mr. Dean's representation was sorely lacking. He is not a strong litigator nor orator. He was also late and unorganized. He never objected to anything while the well-known OC ran circles around him and slandered me profusely. At one point Mr. Dean apologized to the court for the long period of silence because he couldn't figure out what he wanted to say, just shuffled his stack of papers. My overall assessment is that this firm's practices are unethical because they represented that they have strong experience in the area I needed, but used me to cut a young attorney's teeth in a growing and very lucrative area of law. Under no circumstances would I hire them again. In my research into them after being unhappy, I came across others who agreed with this assessment. They never even informed me that we could have appealed the court decision. Since then, I've had to re-start litigation over. DO NOT HIRE BRADY COBIN. Especially not Mr. Brady, who is not honest, or Mr. Dean who is not competent.
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07 May, 2019 by Steve
We have used Brady-Cobin for multiple tasks include wills, trusts and power of attorney.
They are always reliable and available
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17 Sep, 2021 by Jeffrey
SHE IS A VERY SKILLED LAWYER, ALWAYS IS PREPARED TO GO INTO COURT AND WILL FIGHT FOR YOU.
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23 Feb, 2019 by Anonymous
Shannon based my entire case on getting a certain judge (Judge Eagles). When we showed up to court and found out Judge Eagles was out sick, her face turned white. You could tell she was nervous because she did not prepare for the case. She filed on the wrong grounds - so after we lost, I had to go to another attorney and pay another retainer fee to go through the whole process again. She clearly didn't listen to a word I said, OR read my emails. When she read the grounds, my heart sunk. It was NOTHING we had talked about. A complete waste of my money - not to mention the emotional turmoil the case caused me.
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07 Sep, 2024 by K. bulter
I hired Ms. Meyers to handle my divorce because she was referred by one of her sorors. To make a long story short, her “flat fee” was $4,000. She did absolutely nothing while she was my lawyer. She did not file one document or even share one single draft with me. We communicated through a messaging portal and had one phone conversation. Some questions went responded to for extended periods of time. When I started asking too many questions, she dismissed me from her firm.
Within the 1st week of hiring my new lawyer, I had several court documents filed and the new firm actually show (email) me a draft of everything they do. I made more progress with my new team in 1 week then I had made with Ms. Meyers over 8 months. I am not sure if she just didn’t have the experience and didn’t know what to or if she was just being lazy but it was an expensive lesson to learn.
If you need someone to actually help you especially with family matters, please find someone else. It might suck to spend the additional funds but it will be worth it in the end. Like the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for”.
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06 Mar, 2023 by Rachel
Mrs. Meyers was great to work with. It is easy to tell that she has a passion for what she does and is focused on the best interest of the parties involved. She really listened to all aspects of my situation and respectfully advised me on how to approach it. Documents were turned into the court in a timely fashion & she was very easy to get in touch with. I would highly recommend her.
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12 Apr, 2018 by Anonymous
Very poor litigator, as another reviewer pointed out. Poor communication throughout two hearings and in need of a better paralegal. The only time it was easy to speak with her was when it was time to make a payment. We wasted close to 3 grand on her, and after losing our second temporary custody order case, we wisely switched lawyers. The other party represented themselves and out-mitigated this lawyer in court on BOTH occasions. Meanwhile, Atty. Meyers read basic questions from a print-out. I don't know if she was afraid of the presiding judge or lacked the skills she needed to successfully argue the case on both occasions. However, she is way too overpriced and seemed to lack the knowledge it took to win. After we switched lawyers, we ended up winning EVERYTHING and everything went in our favor, every single time. Costly mistake in choosing Atty Meyers first though. Lesson learned. I would NEVER refer her to anyone.
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27 Aug, 2012 by Honest review
I do not recommend Aida Doss-Havel as an attorney. Please do not waste your time and money. We had a 1 hour consultation with Ms. Havel hoping to become more educated on the matter, but instead we left with the exact information that we already knew, except we were our $200. She spent half the asking questions about our situations (which makes sense), then she made a phone call during the consultation which infact resulted in her being on hold for about 10 min. She repeatedly kept saying how our case was such a mess, wasting a lot of time during the consultation, and never actually giving us any advice or directions. When discussed the fact that she hadn't given us any advice or consultation AT ALL, and asking for at least half the consultation fee back, she declined and said "she felt that we both did what we contracted to do." DO NOT waste your time or money speaking with this "so called" attorney.
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20 Jan, 2017 by Anonymous
My spouse and I were recommend to Margaret and so did not shopping in advance. We met with her to discuss our estate planning needs. We payed a substantial retainer, far more than what her page here indicates. Then, we waited, and waited, and waited. There were interim e-mail exchanges but the more we had the more it seemed she had forgotten what we spoke about. We eventually pressed to get drafts of our documents and they were filled with glaring errors, things we had never asked for in the disbursement of our estates. These came with a request for more funds. We severed the relationship at that point, but found ourselves pressed to pay more fees. We countered that any more requests would result in our pursuing full refund of the money we had already paid.
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02 Jan, 2017 by Larry
Mr. Pender was recommended by an investment firm to provide us assistance with probate and estate handling for a relative who had passed away.
The firm told George Pender that he should expect a call from me. I called George within a week and set up an appointment for the following week.
In addition to the initial phone call, I also sent him a 2-page description as to the legal help I was seeking. There were three distinct areas identified in the email. When I arrived, Mr. Pender did not remember that the financial firm had told him I would be calling him (he asked me how I found his name), did not remember our phone conversation at all and had not bothered to read my email. When I arrived, Mr. Pender appeared to be preoccupied with other matters and it seemed that I was keeping him from more important business. Not the way to make a good first impression!
I wasted a good 5-10 minutes repeating the information I had discussed with him over the phone and had sent in my email.
After not hearing from Mr. Pender for more than 10 days, I emailed him to see if he had made any progress. He asked me to call him the following day. After two unsuccessful attempts to reach him, I emailed him to say that my brother would be calling him the following day. When Mr. Pender received my brother's call, he had forgotten who my brother was - although I referenced him by name in the email and my brother was conferenced into the original meeting and had heavily participated in that meeting. As it turned out, Mr. Pender had been busy and had not made any progress on our legal matters at all. Nevertheless, he informed my brother, who is the executor of the estate, that he would only help us – (if and where he could - since he didn't know if he could help us at all in one area and had no strategy to even attack the problem and hadn't bothered checking into a second area) - if we agreed to pay him to work on all three areas. One of the areas was going through the Probate process with a very simple set of assets and a simple will. ALL OR NOTHING was his stance.
As a final insult, he promised to follow up with my brother - the executor of the estate - in another couple of days. That was over three weeks ago. No call, no email. How he has such a high AVVO rating is beyond my comprehension.
Fortunately, we found another much more professional and motivated attorney with whom to work. Our new attorney has specialized in probate law for over 25 years and has treated us with respect and values our business. No high-pressure sales tactics! Unfortunately, we wasted 2 full weeks with Mr. Pender.
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FAQs
Questions? We have answers
What an Estate Planning Lawyer Can Do for You
An estate planning lawyer helps individuals plan for the management and distribution of their assets after death or during incapacitation. Their services involve drafting important legal documents, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. Estate planning attorneys work to ensure that your assets are transferred according to your wishes, minimize tax liabilities, and avoid probate court. They also help clients plan for potential long-term care needs and protect their estate from being diminished by healthcare costs.
By working with an estate planning lawyer, you can have peace of mind knowing that your loved ones will be cared for and that your estate will be managed efficiently and according to your desires.
When Should I Hire an Estate Planning Lawyer?
Hiring an estate planning lawyer is beneficial in many situations, especially when you want to ensure that your assets are handled properly after death. Common reasons to hire an estate planning lawyer include:
- Drafting a will: If you want to clearly define how your assets will be distributed after death, an attorney can draft a legally sound will.
- Creating a trust: For those looking to avoid probate or provide for loved ones over time, setting up a trust can help manage the distribution of assets.
- Planning for incapacity: An estate lawyer can help draft powers of attorney and healthcare directives so that your financial and medical decisions are made by someone you trust if you become incapacitated.
- Minimizing estate taxes: If your estate is large, a lawyer can help create strategies to reduce or eliminate federal and state estate taxes.
- Special circumstances: If you have minor children, blended families, or complex assets like businesses, an estate planning lawyer can create tailored solutions.
- Guardianship or conservatorship: If you want to designate guardians for minor children or ensure proper care for incapacitated adults, an attorney can help.
Hiring an estate planning lawyer is especially important if your estate is complex or if you want to ensure that your wishes are properly followed.
What Does an Estate Planning Lawyer Do?
An estate planning lawyer provides a range of services designed to help you organize your affairs and ensure your estate is managed according to your wishes. They can:
- Draft wills and trusts: Creating legally binding documents that dictate how your assets will be distributed and managed.
- Create powers of attorney and healthcare directives: Appointing someone to make financial or medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated.
- Minimize taxes: Developing strategies to reduce estate taxes, gift taxes, and other financial liabilities for your heirs.
- Help avoid probate: Structuring your estate plan to avoid probate, which can save time and money for your beneficiaries.
- Advise on long-term care planning: Helping you plan for potential healthcare needs in the future, including Medicaid planning and protecting assets from being depleted by nursing home costs.
- Assist with beneficiary designations: Ensuring that life insurance policies, retirement accounts, and other financial instruments are correctly designated.
- Handle probate and estate administration: If a loved one has passed away, an estate planning lawyer can help guide you through the probate process or act as an executor.
How Are Estate Planning Lawyers Paid?
Estate planning lawyers typically charge for their services in one of several ways, depending on the complexity of your estate and the type of services you need. Common payment structures include:
- Flat fee: Many estate planning services, such as drafting a will or trust, are charged on a flat-fee basis. The fee covers all work related to preparing the document.
- Hourly rate: For more complex planning, such as estate tax strategy or trust administration, lawyers may charge by the hour. Rates vary based on the lawyer’s experience and location.
- Retainer: Some lawyers require a retainer for more complex cases, such as ongoing trust management or estate administration. The retainer is an upfront payment that covers future legal services.
It’s important to discuss fees with your lawyer upfront to avoid unexpected costs.
How Much Does an Estate Planning Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring an estate planning lawyer depends on the complexity of your estate and the services you require. Here are some general guidelines:
- Simple wills or powers of attorney: A straightforward will or power of attorney may cost between $300 and $1,500, depending on your location and the lawyer’s experience.
- Trust creation: Establishing a trust, such as a living trust or revocable trust, can cost between $1,000 and $3,000 or more, depending on the complexity of your assets and estate planning needs.
- Comprehensive estate planning packages: Some lawyers offer packages that include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, which may range from $2,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the estate’s complexity.
- Hourly rates: For ongoing services like estate administration or tax planning, lawyers may charge hourly rates ranging from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience.
Always get a clear estimate of costs during your initial consultation to ensure the services fit within your budget.
Top Questions to Ask an Estate Planning Lawyer
Before hiring an estate planning lawyer, it’s important to ask questions to ensure they are the right fit for your needs. Here are key questions to ask during your consultation:
-
What is your experience with estate planning?
Ensure the lawyer has substantial experience drafting wills, creating trusts, and handling other estate planning services. -
How will you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges a flat fee or by the hour and ask for a detailed estimate of costs. -
What strategies do you recommend for my estate?
A good lawyer should be able to explain the best strategies for minimizing taxes, avoiding probate, and ensuring your assets are distributed according to your wishes. -
How often should I update my estate plan?
Ask how frequently you should revisit your estate plan, especially if your financial situation or family dynamics change. -
Do you offer ongoing support or updates?
Some lawyers provide periodic reviews or updates to ensure your estate plan stays current with changes in your circumstances or the law. -
How will you help my beneficiaries if something happens to me?
Ensure the lawyer is willing to guide your heirs through the estate administration process or help manage your trust after you’re gone.
How to Check the Credibility of an Estate Planning Lawyer
To ensure you’re hiring a credible estate planning lawyer, follow these steps:
- Verify their state bar license: Check with your state bar association to confirm that the lawyer is licensed and in good standing, with no history of disciplinary actions.
- Look for estate planning certifications: Some lawyers are certified as estate planning specialists, which indicates they have extensive knowledge in this area of law.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Online reviews on sites like Avvo, Google, or Martindale-Hubbell can provide insight into the lawyer’s professionalism and client satisfaction.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be able to provide references from previous clients who can speak to their expertise and client service.
- Check for membership in professional organizations: Lawyers who are members of organizations like the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) or the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) often have a strong reputation in the field.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first meeting with an estate planning lawyer, it’s important to come prepared. Here’s what you should bring:
- List of assets and liabilities: Provide a detailed inventory of your assets, including real estate, bank accounts, retirement funds, investments, and personal property, as well as any debts you may have.
- List of beneficiaries: Be ready to discuss who you want to receive your assets and in what proportions. This includes naming guardians for minor children if applicable.
- Existing estate documents: Bring copies of any existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, or other relevant estate planning documents.
- Questions about your estate goals: Write down your goals, such as avoiding probate, reducing taxes, or setting up charitable donations, so your lawyer can tailor a plan to meet your needs.
- Information on medical and financial decision-makers: Be prepared to discuss who you want to appoint for healthcare and financial decisions if you become incapacitated.
By being well-prepared, you can ensure a productive consultation and begin building a comprehensive estate plan that meets your needs and protects your loved ones.
