Advantages of an Estate Planning Attorney Over Online Forms

According to a Wills & Estate Planning Study by the Caring website in 2022, about 40% of Americans without estate plans in place say the reason for their delay is that they “haven’t gotten around to it.” While it may seem daunting, estate planning should never be put off until tomorrow. Estate planning involves making suitable plans in advance regarding how your assets should be managed, distributed, or disposed of, and final affairs settled upon your death or sudden incapacitation. Among the options to create your estate plan includes working with an experienced attorney—or downloading and completing online forms.

At Caleb Bland Law, PLLC, our attorney has devoted his career to offering outstanding legal services and guiding clients through the complexities of estate planning. Our skilled Kentucky estate planning attorney can enlighten you about the benefits of hiring a lawyer to draw up your estate plan over using online forms. Our team proudly serves individuals and families across Elizabethtown, Radcliff, Shepherdsville, Louisville, Bardstown, Grayson County, Jefferson County, and the rest of Kentucky.

Estate Planning Attorney vs. Online Forms

Having the necessary estate planning documents is crucial to get your financial affairs and end-of-life plan in order and ultimately achieve peace of mind. Essentially, drafting a well-detailed estate plan requires getting knowledgeable guidance from an experienced attorney to avoid making costly mistakes. Alternatively, you may attempt to create your estate plan by downloading and completing online forms. Here are some of the advantages of hiring an estate planning attorney over using online forms:

Getting the Right Advice

Receiving comprehensive legal guidance is imperative when creating your estate plan. A skilled lawyer can help you understand the different options that are available to you and help you decide on the ideal plan that best suits your unique needs. Your attorney can also provide tax guidance and personalized counsel in complex legal, financial, property, and personal matters. With online forms, you will have to download and complete the online form yourself with limited guidance.

State-Specific

Furthermore, estate planning attorneys are knowledgeable, up-to-date, and well-informed about state-specific requirements. Most online forms and documents are generic. Since they’re not state-specific, they may not meet the requirements for a legal and valid estate planning document in your state.

Making Necessary Modifications

A slight mistake, oversight, or omission can make an entire estate plan invalid. Thankfully, estate planning attorneys can help make modifications to your existing estate plan and ensure the new change reflects your wishes. In contrast, trying to make changes after making mistakes when completing an online form can involve a lot of needless complexities.

Keeping Your Documentation Safe

You need to keep your estate planning documents safe for many years. You can always trust your attorney to store several copies of your estate planning documents safely. Conversely, someone can find and dispose of the online form when decluttering your home. There are so many ways an online document—either printed out or stored online—can be lost. The best way to keep your estate planning documents safe is with your attorney.

Dispute Resolution

Lastly, there may be disputes among family members during estate administration. Should this happen, the Kentucky court will favor details received from someone—such as an attorney—who doesn’t have interest in the provisions of the trust, will, or other estate planning documents. Unfortunately, you cannot take advantage of this privilege if your estate plan was created using online forms. Moreover, an attorney can help your family effectively resolve estate disputes during the administration process. 

Getting Knowledgeable & Skilled Counsel

There are several complicated procedures involved in creating a comprehensive estate plan. Navigating the estate planning process without experienced guidance is risky and you may make costly mistakes. When drafting your estate plan, consulting with a knowledgeable estate planning attorney is crucial to explore your available options. 

At Caleb Bland Law, PLLC, we are dedicated to offering knowledgeable legal counsel and reliable advocacy to clients in estate planning-related matters. As your legal counsel, we can:

• Enlighten you about the benefits of having an estate plan

• Help you understand your various estate planning options

• Help choose the ideal estate planning option that best suits you and your family’s needs

• Help you draw up a detailed last will and testament or craft a comprehensive living trust

• Help create an advanced healthcare directive, end-of-life plan, power of attorney, and other important estate planning documents

Additionally, our legal team will craft a strategic, long-term plan to protect your accumulated assets, investments, finances, and business interests. We will work diligently with you and your loved ones and help you achieve your goals of transferring your accumulated assets to your family members seamlessly.

Contact Caleb Bland Law, PLLC today to schedule a simple consultation with an experienced estate planning lawyer. Our local team can offer you the reliable advocacy and personalized counsel that you need to navigate the estate planning process We proudly serve individuals and families across Elizabethtown, Radcliff, Shepherdsville, Louisville, Bardstown, Grayson County, and the rest of the state of Kentucky.