Estate Planning Lawyer in Palatine, IL
There is a saying that goes “penny wise pound foolish.” Prospects tend to want the cheapest attorney to put together their Wills. The reality is the service you are paying for is not to produce paper. The actual document is certainly one aspect of the service, but the real service people are paying for boil down to two things: (a) Experience that your plan will fulfill all of your objectives; and, (b) Comfort that your family will be able to lean on someone at the time of an emergency – a disability or a death.
Some of the top reasons clients have recently called our office include the following:
(1) Client is selling real estate in another state and the attorney is requesting an entire copy of the trust; We contact the attorney and ask what he needs, and we are able to email just those pages, not the entire trust.
(2) Client’s son has been arrested with possession of drugs, and mother is crying profusely; we calm her down and discuss options, we contact a criminal lawyer on her behalf, and she receives the help she needs to take care of her son.
(3) Client died, and daughter calls in a panic because she cannot find the documents; we email the copies of the documents quickly to her. She mentions that her father’s girlfriend is refusing to leave the house that is owned by my client’s trust. We discuss the various options, and we keep in touch with the other attorney involved in the matter.
(4) Client died recently, and we receive a call from client’s son. He is panic stricken because he needs money to keep the house expenses paid. We discuss the next steps regarding the Trust provisions, and obtaining access to the bank accounts. He calmed down, and we helped him understand the terms of the trust, and what steps need to be taken.
(5) Client’s middle aged only child dies unexpectedly. Client calls extremely saddened and upset, wondering what to do next. Son did not have an estate plan, and we discuss the probate process with client. Although he is understandably grieving, we are able to provide a little comfort in holding his hand through the process.
These are just some of the types of calls we receive from clients on a daily basis. To a certain extent, we are their “problem solvers”. Whatever is on their minds, whatever they are panicking about, whatever challenges they are facing, we are the ones on the other line, listening to them. Although we cannot solve all of the problems, we do our best to point them to the right professionals, or companies, or agencies. But because we have established a certain trust with our clients, we are very appreciative to be the ones they call.
When determining who you want to work with to prepare your Will, it is important to know if that person will be there for you in times of need. It is important to know if they will check up on you to review and update your plan. It is important to know they care about you, and your family. It’s not the paper you are paying for when choosing an attorney, like an estate planning lawyer in Palatine, IL. You are choosing whether your family will have someone they can rely on, when any number of situations arise. So don’t be “penny wise and pound foolish.” This decision can make all the difference for the protection of your family.
For more information, call Bott & Associates, LTD. for more insight into estate planning.