There are 4 types of estate planning:
Do nothing. Let others sort it out later.
Do it yourself. Get a form and fill in the blanks. How hard can it be?
Use a document-driven attorney. Pay lots of money for a fancier form that someone else fills out for you.
Use a counseling-oriented attorney. Build a lifelong relationship with someone you can trust... someone who also knows your other family members, understands your family values and collaborates with your other advisors (tax, financial, banking, insurance). Work with this person over time to create a personalized plan that is always up to date. Experience peace of mind knowing you've done everything within your power to protect your loved ones and the things for which you've worked so hard.
So, am I your type?
Great thought-provoker, David. Too often we find ourselves hung up in the first group: it's just too scary to think about, I have far better things to do; or the second group: heck Suze says you can do it yourself, it can't be *that* hard; or the third group: Behemoth, Large, & Humongous, LLC knows everything, I'll just pay them to set me up...
ReplyDeleteAs you describe, the lifelong relationships with trusted advisors brings the "team" approach to the table, where as a client I can work closely with the professionals who know my situation and are working in concert together to assure that my needs are met.
Thanks for starting the thought process, David!