Ten Things to Look For in An Estate Planning Attorney or Elder Law Attorney

1)  Provides a warm, empathetic approach and caring environment.
2)  Planning attorney is a counselor and not just a technician.
3)  Clients are provided with a unique estate planning or elder care experience and not just a transaction.
4)  Provides an interactive planning process in partnership with the client and with emphasis on client goals (not a paternalistic approach).
5)  Ensures financial advisor/CPA friendly approach with goal of inclusive total team effort; works in good faith with financial advisor and/or CPA to implement all appropriate solutions in best interests of the client.
6)  Timely and structured process – encourages clients to complete the planning process and discourages procrastination.
7)  Trust funding — planning attorney and firm’s funding coordinator oversee and ensure proper funding of all estate and elder law plans (client not abandoned with unfunded plan).
8)  Client education and understanding – to the extent possible, attorney ensures that client understands their estate planning documents and choices.
9)  Follow-up – maintains on-going contact with clients via annual continuing education and maintenance programs to encourage clients to meet with attorney at least once every other year, and facilitates client-planning attorney contact throughout the years via quarterly newsletter and other notifications.
10)  Value-added services – provides client access to latest in on-line document storage, and all available contemporary recommendations for “complete” planning.

For more information, please call 443-393-7696 or complete the form below.