{"id":287030,"date":"2016-04-04T10:45:46","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/prepare-to-meet-with-estate-planning-lawyer.html"},"modified":"2025-05-05T12:06:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T17:06:35","slug":"prepare-to-meet-with-estate-planning-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/estate\/planning-an-estate\/prepare-to-meet-with-estate-planning-lawyer.html","title":{"rendered":"Prepare to Meet With an Estate Planning Lawyer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Prepare to Meet With an Estate Planning Lawyer<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Aisha Success, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

You want to do everything you can to prepare for your family’s future. You hope to provide your children and other loved ones with everything they need when you are no longer here. Meeting with an estate planner for legal advice is an important step in this estate planning process<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

An estate lawyer can get to know you and your goals and prepare legal documents to meet your needs. To do the best possible job when preparing your estate plan, your attorney will need information about you and your assets.
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Gathering as much information as possible before your initial meeting with an estate attorney will speed up the process. The attorney-client relationship you establish at this meeting may be one you can count on for a lifetime.<\/p>\r\n

Engaging an Attorney<\/h2>\r\n

When seeking help in estate law from an attorney, you may wonder what it will cost. Don’t hesitate to ask about the costs near the beginning of the first meeting. You can even ask for information about fees during your preliminary research stage. You do not have to wait until the first meeting.<\/p>\r\n

The attorney should break down their fee structures by either an hourly rate or a flat fee. The flat fee will depend on your estate planning goals and the particular estate planning documents you need. Your attorney should expect to provide fee information, so ask them. You should have this information going into the estate planning process.<\/p>\r\n

Goals of Estate Planning<\/h2>\r\n

It is crucial to understand all the goals you can accomplish in the estate planning process. Transferring real property, bank accounts, and investment accounts to your loved ones is the most obvious goal. But you can accomplish more. Other goals include:<\/p>\r\n