More and more accountants and financial advisors are recommending that we have a will, living trust and/or an advance health care directive in place to either carry out our medical care wishes or protect us and our assets in the future. The question is how do you choose an attorney to draft those documents for you? Should you use on online document service such as LegalZoom or buy specific software to create a will or directive yourself? These are all questions that you can ask your CPA, who can then steer you in the right direction and even help you choose an attorney to meet your needs.
Here are some points to help with your decision:
- Power of Knowledge – Do research on the internet about different types of wills, trusts and directives, so you have a good basic knowledge of the different types of estate planning documents that are available to meet your needs.
- Talk to your Accountant – Many accountants and CPA’s have very good and close relationships with a number of local attorneys and we can help you select an attorney that specializes in estate planning.
- Comfort – If you choose an attorney to draft your legal documents make sure he or she is someone you feel comfortable with and who understands your needs. If you choose an online legal service or buy packaged software to create your own documents, make sure it is legal and binding in your specific state and cannot be challenged later.
We always advise clients to have a legal and binding will, living trust, and/or advanced health care directive in place to carry out wishes regarding medical care and end of life decisions and to protect themselves and their assets in the future. How you ultimately get these documents drafted and executed depends on you and your comfort level. Start by determining your needs and formulating questions, then use all available resources like your LSL Advisor to get your questions answered.
For more information call LSL CPAs at (714) 569-1000.
By Petra Kess
