Key Questions To Ask Your Estate Planning Attorney In Virginia

In this article, you can discover…

• The important role of communication in selecting an attorney.
• When and how often to review or update your estate plan.
• How to choose a trustee or executor for your estate.

What Can I Expect During My Consultation With Legacy Law Centers?

During your first consultation at Legacy Law Centers, you’ll meet directly with an attorney, not an intake specialist or support staff. They will listen to your goals and assess your needs by identifying key legal issues.

Estate planning covers five major areas: wills, trusts, taxes, property, and family. Your attorney will guide you through each area, explaining how different legal tools can help achieve your objectives. The goal is to translate your intentions into effective legal documents, ensuring that your wishes are clearly documented and enforceable. Expect a focused, personalized discussion tailored to your specific situation.

How Much Experience Do You Have With Estate Planning?

I’ve been crafting comprehensive, personalized strategies that protect my clients’ assets and ensure their legacies are secure for nearly two decades.

How Do You Handle Communication With Your Clients Throughout Their Case?

We make it a point to structure communication into three key meetings to ensure clarity and understanding for our clients:

Intake Meeting

This initial meeting introduces the concepts relevant to your case. We explain all of your available options and gather information about your goals.

Design Meeting

After you’ve had time to process the concepts, we shift our focus to tailoring those options to your specific needs. We’ll clarify roles, like assigning a trustee, and ensure everything aligns with your intentions.

Settlement Meeting

In our final meeting, we’ll review and finalize all documents. Here, we explain everything in simple terms, ensuring you fully understand the details before signing.

With nearly two decades of estate planning experience, Sam Mansoor of Legacy Law Centers in Virginia has helped countless clients protect their assets and secure their legacies. Sam’s client-centered approach ensures that every estate plan is tailored to individual goals, covering key areas like wills, trusts, and property. From the first consultation to finalizing legal documents, his hands-on guidance will empower you to make informed decisions.

If you’re ready to create a comprehensive plan for your future, schedule a consultation with Legacy Law Centers today.

How Often Should I Review Or Update My Estate Plan?

We have a rule of five at Legacy Law Centers since we’ve found it to be the best practice. Review your estate plan every five years to ensure it still meets your goals. Additionally, updates are recommended after any of these five events:

• Birth of a child or grandchild.
• Death of a key person in your plan.
• Change in marital status.
• Major legal changes that could impact your plan.
• Change of mind regarding beneficiaries, trustees, or other decisions.

Should My Spouse And I Create A Joint Estate Plan?

Whether to create a joint estate plan depends on your financial circumstances and goals. If one or both of you have significant separate property that you wish to keep separate from marital assets, a joint estate plan may not be the best direction to take. Joint plans can risk transmuting separate property into marital property, complicating matters in the event of a divorce. On the other hand, if most assets are marital property, a joint plan may simplify managing and distributing them.

How Do You Help Clients Who Are Unsure About How To Choose A Trustee Or Executor For Their Estate Plan?

Choosing a trustee or executor depends on trustworthiness and reliability. We advise you to consider someone familiar, like a family member or close friend, but only if they can handle the responsibilities. If concerns surrounding something like a beneficiary’s lack of financial responsibility are at play, we’ll explore professional options.

For example, instead of appointing a full-time professional trustee—which can be costly—we might use a bookkeeper or other professionals to manage specific tasks. Doing so ensures that the estate’s goals are met while balancing cost and competence.

Still Have Questions? Ready To Get Started?

For more information on Key Questions To Ask Your Estate Planning Attorney In Virginia, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (571) 260-0827 today.