{"id":287024,"date":"2024-12-19T14:50:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T19:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/five-important-estate-planning-questions-to-ask-a-lawyer.html"},"modified":"2025-08-29T14:50:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T19:50:00","slug":"five-important-estate-planning-questions-to-ask-a-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/five-important-estate-planning-questions-to-ask-a-lawyer.html","title":{"rendered":"5 Important Estate Planning Questions to Ask a Lawyer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">5 Questions to Ask an Estate Planning Lawyer<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/oni-harton-j-d\/\">Oni Harton, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/aisha-success-esq\/\">Aisha Success, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            August 29, 2025\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>When meeting with an estate planning attorney, it&#8217;s important to ask questions that ensure your estate plan is comprehensive and meets your needs. You should ask them about their fees, what to put into the estate plan, how best to communicate, how to distribute your property, and how to handle estate taxes.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s intimidating to walk into a lawyer&#8217;s office to begin estate planning. Even if it&#8217;s just a simple last will and testament, maybe you keep putting off a discussion with an estate planner. But knowing what you are getting into can prepare you for the experience. The more you understand the process, the more comfortable you should be about planning your estate.<\/p>\n<h2>Estate Planning Questions<\/h2>\n<p>The estate planning lawyer will undoubtedly have many questions for you. The attorney will want your financial and other personal information. They may give you an estate planning questionnaire to complete before your first meeting.<\/p>\n<p>They may ask the following questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Basic biographical information<\/li>\n<li>Real estate owned<\/li>\n<li>Debts and other liabilities<\/li>\n<li>Whether you want to be on life support<\/li>\n<li>Whether you have children from a prior marriage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The information request will likely cover those important questions \u2014 and everything between. Once an experienced estate planning attorney has collected basic information about your family and assets, they can get to work.<\/p>\n<h2>Estate Planning Tools<\/h2>\n<p>Your attorney will provide legal advice to give you the best estate planning tools for your needs. Ultimately, you should have a comprehensive estate plan at the end of this process.<\/p>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/estate-planning-basics.html\">estate planning<\/a>\u00a0process can be simple or complex. This plan will provide all the legal documents you need. An estate plan may include these estate planning documents and planning tools:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wills and trusts<\/li>\n<li>Health care directives<\/li>\n<li>Living will<\/li>\n<li>Power of attorney<\/li>\n<li>Life insurance<\/li>\n<li>Tax planning strategies<\/li>\n<li>Retirement accounts<\/li>\n<li>Gifting<\/li>\n<li>Beneficiary designations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>FindLaw provides a few questions below to get you started. This list is certainly not exhaustive. But it should lead to other questions to get the conversation going. Such questions can give you the confidence to move forward.<\/p>\n<h2>1. What Do I Need in My Estate Plan?<\/h2>\n<p>A full estate plan includes a will, but also other documents like powers of attorney and a living will. But even without a fortune to distribute, a will gives you control over a number of things after your death, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Who will be\u00a0the guardian of your minor children.<\/li>\n<li>How\u00a0your property will be distributed, even if it is just a few pieces of jewelry, furniture, art, etc. When you actually do an inventory of all of your property, you may be surprised at what it is all worth.<\/li>\n<li>Clear up confusion about your wishes, so that your surviving family members are not under pressure to try to figure out what you would have wanted, or don&#8217;t get into a fight about it.<\/li>\n<li>Make sure that your property or money goes to the people you want to have it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>2. How Does This Law Office Function?<\/h2>\n<p>One of the most important aspects of engaging a law office to create your estate plan is having confidence that that office is the right one for you. Here are a few questions you can ask about the office itself and how it communicates.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>How much do you charge?\u00a0<\/b>Don&#8217;t be afraid to ask this question near the beginning of the first meeting, or even before that. They should break down their fee structures either by an hourly rate or by flat fee. The flat fee will be tied to each particular piece of estate planning or may cover the entire estate plan. You should have this information going in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Does your office specialize in estate work?<\/b>\u00a0Another way of asking this question is: What percentage of your business is estate work? The reason you ask these kinds of questions is to make sure\u00a0the lawyers in the office have enough experience with the probate process\u00a0to handle every one of your needs. The more experience they have, the better they should be able to deal with your personal situation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>One factor that may affect this topic is the size of both the law firm and the city the firm is in. In smaller cities and towns, lawyers often have a general practice that involves many different areas of the law. One lawyer or firm could practice domestic relations law, estate law, criminal law, etc. The larger the city, the more specialized a lawyer usually is. Ask how many estates the firm has done in the last five years to get a feel for how much expertise they have.<\/p>\n<h2>3. Lawyer-Client Communications<\/h2>\n<p>The most important part of your relationship with your lawyer is the process of communication that is set up between you and the lawyer&#8217;s office. Know what that is before you leave the law office after the first meeting. Here are some questions to ask:<\/p>\n<p><b>How often will you communicate with me after the papers are signed?\u00a0<\/b>A law firm that specializes in estate planning will often charge an optional, small ongoing fee to contact you every 6-12 months to both keep you updated on changes to probate and estate law that may affect you, and also to check in to see if your situation has changed in ways that may affect your estate plan. It is a good idea to do this. Smaller\/solo law firms may have a difficult time doing this, so take that into consideration.<\/p>\n<p><b>Who else do I communicate with in the firm other than my lawyer?<\/b>\u00a0There may be situations where you will not be able to get\u00a0hold of your attorney (if she is on vacation, retires, dies, etc.). The firm should have a communication protocol that includes other attorneys, administrative assistants, paralegals, secretaries, etc.<\/p>\n<p><b>How do you communicate with my financial and other advisors?<\/b>\u00a0More complex estate plans are a team effort among a set of advisors, and formal lines of communication need to be set up among all of those people before the estate plan is drawn up. The lawyer will always want the final say, but it will ultimately be up to you to make decisions.<\/p>\n<h2>4. Questions About Property Distribution<\/h2>\n<p>Much of your estate plan will distribute your property to your beneficiaries. Here are some basic questions to ask about that property distribution.<\/p>\n<h3>What happens to jointly-owned property?<\/h3>\n<p>Many people\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/corporate.findlaw.com\/law-library\/what-is-a-joint-tenancy.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">own property jointly<\/a>\u00a0with another person or other people. These joint property situations usually arise when you own property or have accounts with your spouse or other family members. Common examples of joint property\u00a0include homes, businesses, investment properties, cars, and bank accounts.<\/p>\n<p>For the most part, ownership documents will determine what happens to the decedent&#8217;s share of that property after death. The decedent can transfer ownership interests through the will if that part of the property is owned by that decedent, subject to several potential encumbrances. These encumbrances include liens on that property, as well as \u201cPayable on Death&#8221; and \u201cTransfer on Death&#8221; restrictions.<\/p>\n<p>A lawyer can\u00a0look at all of\u00a0those documents and determine how those ownership interests should be transferred after death.<\/p>\n<h3>Should I have a revocable living trust?<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/trusts\/living-trust-information.html\">A living trust<\/a>, if properly constructed, is a way to avoid probate court or probating the estate when you die. This is opposed to a will, which is probated, even if there is no taxation or it is a zero-asset estate.<\/p>\n<p>A living trust transfers ownership of your property into a trust which you control. It is a complex part of estate planning which may or may not be in the best interests of you or your beneficiaries, and should be a topic of conversation with your lawyer.<\/p>\n<h2>5. What do I have to know about estate taxes?<\/h2>\n<p>The question of estate taxes hinges on where you live and how much your estate is worth. Your attorney and financial advisors will give you the right tax advice.<\/p>\n<h3>Federal Estate Taxes<\/h3>\n<p>Unless you are a wealthy person, you really do not have to worry about estate taxes. There are no\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/estate-tax-laws.html\">federal estate taxes<\/a> on estates worth less than $13.99 million in 2025. If you have that kind of money, you probably have financial advisors who can guide you through the intricacies of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/businesses\/small-businesses-self-employed\/estate-tax\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">federal estate taxation<\/a>. If not, you should find one.<\/p>\n<h3>State Estate and Inheritance Taxes<\/h3>\n<p>Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have\u00a0estate or inheritance taxes\u00a0(or both). If you live in one of these jurisdictions, you will need to talk about these taxes with your attorney.<\/p>\n<h3>Gift Taxes<\/h3>\n<p>A part of estate planning can include giving parts of the estate to a beneficiary before you die. If you do this to avoid probate, you may run into gift taxes. Gift taxes may have to be paid by the giver. They are not paid by the receiver of the gift.<\/p>\n<p>The federal gift tax exclusion amount is $19,000 in 2025. This means that you can give anybody a gift worth up to that amount with no federal tax consequences. Any more than that, the excess amount is applied against the donor&#8217;s lifetime estate and gift tax exemption.<\/p>\n<p>Only a few states levy a gift tax. Ask your lawyer if you live in one of them.<\/p>\n<h2>More Questions? A Lawyer Can Help<\/h2>\n<p>Estate planning can be a very complex topic. Except for just writing a simple will, it requires the guidance, input, and professional skills of an\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/estate-planning\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">estate-planning attorney<\/a>\u00a0and other financial professionals. The more complex the estate, the more you will need the help of these professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u00a0<\/h2>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M6 21H3C2.46957 21 1.96086 20.7893 1.58579 20.4142C1.21071 20.0391 1 19.5304 1 19V12C1 11.4696 1.21071 10.9609 1.58579 10.5858C1.96086 10.2107 2.46957 10 3 10H6M13 8V4C13 3.20435 12.6839 2.44129 12.1213 1.87868C11.5587 1.31607 10.7956 1 10 1L6 10V21H17.28C17.7623 21.0055 18.2304 20.8364 18.5979 20.524C18.9654 20.2116 19.2077 19.7769 19.28 19.3L20.66 10.3C20.7035 10.0134 20.6842 9.72068 20.6033 9.44225C20.5225 9.16382 20.3821 8.90629 20.1919 8.68751C20.0016 8.46873 19.7661 8.29393 19.5016 8.17522C19.2371 8.0565 18.9499 7.99672 18.66 8H13Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\n                              stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3418\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"><\/rect>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"No\"\n                value=\"no\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">No<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <span class=\"was-this-helpful__taken-action fl-text-sm-bold\"><\/span>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-container\">\n        <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n            <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form\">\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--positive\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Easy to understand\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--understandable\"\n                        >Easy to understand<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Solved my problem\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--solved-problem\"\n                        >Solved my problem<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"positive-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback was-this-helpful__feedback--negative\">\n                <fieldset>\n                    <legend class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Why was this not helpful?<\/legend>\n                    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message\" role=\"status\">\n                        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__choose-option-message-text\"><\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Missing Information\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Out of date\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--dated\"\n                        >Out of date<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\"><div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/forms\/estate-planning.html?fli=diyns\">DIY is possible<\/a> in some simple cases\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Complex estate planning situations usually require a lawyer\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    A lawyer can reduce the chances of a family dispute\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    You can always have an attorney review your forms\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>Get tailored advice and ask your legal questions. Many attorneys offer free consultations.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/estate-planning\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum\" title=\"Estate Planning Directory\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">If you need an attorney, browse our directory now.<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                src=\"https://www.findlaw.com/static/c/images\/images\/w_1200,c_limit,dpr_auto\/f_auto,q_auto:eco\/v1745902396\/ability-law\/wp-prod\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1\/general-components-subscribe-module-Image-subscribeModule_1.png?_i=AA\"\n                alt=\"\"\n                loading=\"lazy\"\n            \/>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-content fl-flex fl-flex-wrap\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-text fl-mb25\">\n            <h4 class=\"fl-no-margin\">Enter your email address to subscribe<\/h4>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <form class=\"email-subscription-content-form\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"distributionList\" value=\"latl\" \/>\n            <label for=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" class=\"fl-text-sm-bold\">Email (Required)<\/label>\n            <div class=\"email-subscription-content-form-group\">\n                <input id=\"email-subscription-content-form-group-input\" name=\"email\" autocomplete=\"email\"\/>\n                <button type=\"submit\" aria-label=\"Submit\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-success subscribe-success-message fl-text-sm-bold\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"status\">Thank you for subscribing!<\/p>\n            <p class=\"email-subscription-content-form-error subscribe-error-message fl-text-sm-bold\" role=\"alert\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/p>\n\n            <div id=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha\" class=\"email-subscription-content-form-recaptcha subscribe-recaptcha\"\n                data-sitekey=\"0x4AAAAAAABGBEkK9kEeKxO-\"><\/div>\n        <\/form>\n\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-content-footer fl-text-sm\">\n            <p><a href=\"https:\/\/newsletters.findlaw.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more about FindLaw\u2019s newsletters<\/a>, including our terms of use and privacy policy.<\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"general-list\">\n    <h3>Helpful Links<\/h3>\n    <ul class=\"fl-list fl-no-margin\">\n                                    <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/estate-laws.html\">\n                        State &#038; Federal Estate Laws\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                                                <li class=\"fl-list-item fl-flex\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    <a class=\"fl-list-item-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/estate-planning-basics.html\">\n                        Estate Planning: Fundamentals and Terminology\n                    <\/a>\n                <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <div class=\"popularDirectory\">\n        <div class=\"general-popular-directory \">\n            <div class=\"general-popular-directory-title\">\n                <h3>Popular Directory Searches<\/h3>\n            <\/div>\n            <ul>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/estate-planning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Estate Planning Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/trusts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trusts Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/wills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wills Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/divorce\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Divorce Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/taxation-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tax Law Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/elder-law\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elder Law Attorneys<\/a><\/li>\n                                    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/probate-estate-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Probate and Estate Administration Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n                            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FindLaw helps you prepare for your meeting with an estate planning attorney so you can approach estate planning with confidence. Begin planning today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":287010,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2728],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-287024","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-estate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/287024","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=287024"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/287024\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/287010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=287024"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=287024"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=287024"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=287024"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=287024"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}