A Guide To Locating An Estate Planning Attorney In Your Area
The ideal attorney is one who can help you draft a good estate plan; however, this can be a daunting task. Not only is drafting an estate plan difficult but finding the best estate planning attorney can be complicated. With some help, you should be able to locate several qualified attorneys from which to choose. This article will provide information for locating an estate planning attorney in Spokane.
Table of Contents
#1: Ask Financial Advisor For Referrals
Financial advisors are a great source of information when searching for an estate planning lawyer in your area. Most advisors view estate planning as a necessity when dealing with a client’s financial goals. As such, financial advisors have one or more estate planning lawyers “on the books” and for a referral.
If your financial advisor has not discussed the issue of estate planning, it is recommended that you bring the issue up yourself. Do not be afraid of asking an advisor about estate planning and, potentially, who they use as an estate planner.
#2: Ask Your Accountant For Referrals
The majority of estate attorneys will consult accountants when dealing with trusts, estates and income tax issues. Based on this, it is likely that your accountant can make at least one decent referral. Moreover, an accountant can locate an estate planning attorney for their clients. This is useful as accountants have direct access to a person’s financial information which warrants the need for estate planning.
#3: Consulting Other Attorneys
It is likely that at least one attorney you have dealt with in the past will have contacts with estate planning lawyers. Most lawyers are willing to share referrals to other attorneys who do not practice in their specific legal niche. This is often done because a referral can always lead to promotion from the referred lawyer.
Aside from consulting attorneys for referrals, you can ask the lawyer who performed their personal estate planning. In most cases, a lawyer not specializing in estate planning will use a colleague with experience in this area. Using the same estate planning attorney as your personal lawyer can be beneficial.
#4: Consulting The Local Or State Bar Association
All states and counties have bar associations which list all registered attorneys. Consulting the association can result in referrals to certified referral services in the region. Bar associations can be contacted via telephone or online.
#5: Consult Different Advertisements
Most attorneys, including estate planning attorneys, will advertise their services using different platforms. While print advertisements are not as popular as they used to be, a printed placement can help promote the attorney. Advertisements can also be found on the radio or on television. Of course, the advertisement must pass strict regulations from the bar association to be allowed. This ensures the lawyer is not making any false claims or promising unachievable results.
#6: Contacting The Local Probate Court
While this may not work for individuals living in large cities, contacting a local probate court can help you find an estate planning attorney in Spokane. The court clerks have a list of local lawyers, as well as first-hand knowledge of which attorneys the judges prefer. Small towns allow people to build relationships with judges and court clerks, thereby earning reliable referrals for estate planning.
Final Words On The Matter
Locating a suitable estate planning attorney in Spokane or anywhere in Washington State for that matter can be difficult, but the tips above can help you find the best lawyer for your needs. Of course, this list is merely a beginning point and does not attempt to address the amount of information available on the internet. However, too much information can sometimes be detrimental making a person very confused. In these situations, it may be best to adhere to traditional methods of locating an estate planning attorney.
