If you do not have an estate plan in place, your assets may be at risk in the event of your death. If you have minor children, their care and financial security may be an issue as well. As you are making preparations to create an estate plan, one of the first steps should be to hire an estate-planning attorney. Without the help of a legal professional, you could end up with a will or trust that is deemed invalid, wasting all of your hard work. Here are three reasons why you need an estate planning attorney:

1) Specific State Laws Require a Legal Expert
Estate plans are controlled by laws written on the state level. Each state has slightly different nuances and regulations surrounding estates. If you are not aware of these, one small mistake could end up negating your entire will or trust. When you have a qualified estate planning attorney on your side, you can avoid these technicalities and ensure that your estate plan is perfectly legal.

2) Saving Money Could Cost Those You Love Most
Probate court can be costly for those you leave behind. There are estate planning tools that can help you to avoid these costs. An attorney, well versed in estate planning, will be able to advise you on how to structure your estate in order to help save your loved ones from unnecessary costs and lengthy and expensive litigation. Your goal, in planning your estate, is to provide for your loved ones and to support causes that you care for. Consulting with a legal professional is the best way to ensure you reach your goals.

3) Estate Planning Attorneys Do More Than Write Wills
You may be thinking that you don't need an attorney to write a will, particularly if your estate is simple. This may be true, but estate planning attorneys do more than “just write wills.” A comprehensive estate plan includes everything from your will or living trust to your life insurance and college or retirement savings plans.

If you are serious about protecting those you love after your death, and want to ensure your will, trust, or power of attorney documents are fully in line with the law, then consider the services of an estate planning attorney. The attorneys at Klein, Daday, Aretos and O'Donoghue are ready to assist you with your estate plan. Contact our team today for help.