Benefits of Working with an Estate Planning Attorney
Read this list and learn:
How We Add Value / How We Are Different
Where will you find all of these features and benefits in one place? Not in pre-printed forms or software packages. You won’t find all of them at many other law firms that advertise estate planning. We invite you to compare us to the alternatives.

Organization
Feature
Benefit
1. An Estate Planning Questionnaire designed to capture important estate planning information and spot issues that need attention.
Consultation
Feature
Benefit
2. An attorney who really cares about doing a good job for you.
2. More likely to get an estate plan that meets your needs and will work the way you intend.
3. Discussion of your estate planning, goals and objectives.
3. Helps you, working with one of the attorneys, to chose from the myriad estate planning options and tools currently available, and design a plan that meets your particular goals and objectives.
4. A thorough analysis of your estate as it now exists, including titling of assets and beneficiary designations.
4b. Helps ensure consistency in your estate planning—that is, that your assets will pass to your intended recipients.
- A grandchild getting a large inheritance at age 18
- All your money going to your son-in-law
- All your money going to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and so on
- A disabled son or daughter becoming disqualified from health benefits under Medicaid
- A spouse or other relative on Medicaid having to spend down some or all of your estate
- A substantial portion of your child’s inheritance going to a former in-law in a divorce settlement

Do You Need Estate Planning?
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Documents Tailored to Your Needs
Feature
Benefit
10. Will or trust tailored specifically to meet your individual circumstances.
10a. Peace of mind knowing your estate planning documents will do what you intend and help you meet your objectives.
10b. You haven’t wasted money on an off-the-shelf, fill-in-the-blanks document that fails to address your particular needs.
10c. Things that could go wrong anticipated and addressed, to the extent reasonably possible.
11. Precise language in will or trust to indicate:
- Who your estate passes to and how
- Who gets which of your belongings
- How taxes should be apportioned among beneficiaries
11. Avoids uncertainty; family fights; unfairness. Things will go smoothly and be easy for your surviving family. (To read an example of a mistake to avoid, click here.)
12. Useful for such goals as:
- Avoiding rates of up to 55% on Federal Estate Tax
- Providing for a disabled family member
- Providing for young children if both parents die
- Providing for family members who suffer addictions, or who have an inability to manage large sums of money
- Trust for young relatives (children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews) so that they receive their inheritance at an age you feel is appropriate
- Providing for beloved pets during your lifetime and when you die
16b. You haven’t wasted money on an off-the-shelf, fill-in-the-blanks document that fails to address your particular needs.
16c. Things that could go wrong anticipated and addressed, to the extent reasonably possible.
16d. Avoids guardianship (in most cases), saving you additional attorney fees; premiums for posting bond; delays of 30 days or more when you become incapacitated; ongoing attorney fees and time spent by your guardian in filing reports, petitions, and accountings with the Court.
16e. Allows asset-protection strategies if you need Medicaid benefits.
21b. Helps you (or your family members) find the documents when needed.
21c. Helps you to know when to review and update your documents.
21d. Makes things easier for your survivors after you die.
Service and Sales
Feature
Benefit
22. Prompt Service: Drafts within a week; signing appointment within a month; and originals bound and delivered (with copies) to you within days after signing or the completion of funding. (Expedited service available in emergency cases.)
22. Value and peace of mind received sooner.
23. We strive to give you a plan that:
- Suits your individual circumstances, and
- Is designed for the highest likelihood of achieving your goals in an uncertain future
24a. You don’t pay the high rates often associated with high-end firms.
24b. Nor will you be a “loss-leader” client for a firm concerned mainly with building up a store of estate administration cases, that may be billed on a percentage or other costly basis.
25. Services are available to those who can’t get out.

Estate Planning
Related Estate Planning Posts
If you are looking for more information about Estate Planning, here are some of our favorite blog posts. You can also click here for all of our Estate Planning posts.