Estate Planning is a Process

July 27, 2015

Providing legal counsel for estate planning for more than sixty years, our estate planning attorneys have a deep understanding about what is takes to provide a truly value and client-focused estate plan. Our process is client-focused, collaborative and thorough.

Estate Planning: More than Drafting Documents

There is much misunderstanding about what goes into a robust and comprehensive estate plan. Many people assume that a client simply gives the attorney a list of people who will receive property and the attorney prepares a Will or Trust document based on that list. While an inexperienced attorney or a web service may take that approach, such a superficial approach is inadequate and would likely result in unneeded fees, costs, and expenses. Inadequate estate planning often results in unnecessary Probate, family squabbles and court involvement following the death of a loved one.

Give Yourself Peace of Mind

A properly crafted estate plan can give you peace of mind, knowing your assets and family are well protected. Our estate planning lawyers will help you get there.

A good estate plan process helps to identify the potential problems and opportunities and address them in advance.

An experienced and competent estate planning attorney must fully analyze each client’s situation and then discuss with the client the various options available. In short, a good estate planning attorney knows that estate planning is a process of gathering client information, educating the client, and discussing and analyzing options for each client.

Each Client is Unique

Quality estate planning attorneys do not have a standard estate plan for clients. The cookie-cutter approach will never equate to a robust and versatile estate plan. While many clients have similar needs and concerns, their individual assets, the manner in which those assets are owned and how those assets are to be handled upon death are all unique to each client. No two client situations are exactly alike.

The Steps to a Great Estate Plan

At Wokwicz Law Offices, we have a detailed estate planning process. Our process is the result of decades of experience.

  • Client needs and goals exploration: We meet with our clients to develop a detailed understanding of the clients’ relevant family facts and history, assets and background. We discuss our clients’ general aims for estate planning.
  • Client education: Once we understand the clients’ situation, financial assets and wishes, we begin a conversation about possible planning options. We take the time to explain the pros and cons of different options. We ensure that our clients understand their options and the benefits and risks associated with those options. Our clients are then in a position to make decisions from a position of knowledge.
  • Estate plan formation: Only after we understand our clients and their needs, and they understand their options, do we begin to arrive at the best estate planning tools to achieve the clients’ objective.

Our estate planning process is very popular with our clients – and is a major source of referrals for new estate planning clients. Our existing clients often recommend to their friends that they contact us for their estate planning needs.

Our Collaborative Estate Planning Process

Our ability to craft the best estate for our clients depends on our knowledge and understanding of their unique situations. To make that happen, we follow a very collaborative and candid approach to estate planning.

We need to identify relevant family and asset situations. We discuss family history, siblings, children, marriages and unique relationships and situations that impact the estate planning process. We identify issues that might present opportunities for savings and where we may need to employ advanced estate planning techniques to avoid problems or unnecessary costs.

These are very personal and sensitive topics. We deeply appreciate that. We make sure that our clients understand that we value their trust – and we make it clear that we never betray their confidence in our firm. Our clients come to know that their candor is pivotal to enabling us to provide the best estate planning solution for their specific needs.

Putting Clients First

At Wokwicz Law Offices, the client always comes first. We want each of our client’s to feel that they were respected and well represented. This is particularly important in estate planning as the laws surrounding this complex area of the law can be difficult to understand. Our client-first approach has been at the core of our firm as we served generations of families for their estate planning needs in the greater Kenosha area and Wisconsin.

Contact Us for an Estate Plan Appointment

For Traditional Estate planning clients, we offer a no fee initial consultation so that we can discuss your situation and establish the appropriate estate plan for you.  Please read about Wokwicz Law Offices’s approach to estate planning and contact us to discuss if your estate planning situation qualifies for a free initial consultation.

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This article is intended as general legal information and not as legal advice to any particular client, nor is it intended as advice on any particular issue or matter. If you have any questions regarding the subject matter of this article, or wish to discuss how the subject matter of this article may apply to your situation, please contact us.