What are some basics about who handles estate planning?
Estate planning involves the process of creating a plan to manage and distribute your assets during your lifetime and after your death. An estate planner is a professional who helps you create an estate plan that aligns with your financial and personal goals and that minimizes taxes and other costs.
An estate planner can help you with a wide range of tasks, including:
- Identifying your assets: An estate planner can help you identify all of your assets, including your home, investments, bank accounts, and personal property.
- Determining your goals: An estate planner can help you determine your estate planning goals, such as providing for your family, minimizing taxes, and supporting charitable causes.
- Analyzing your options: An estate planner can help you understand the different options available to you, such as wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives, and can help you choose the ones that best meet your needs.
- Implementing your plan: An estate planner can help you implement your estate plan by drafting the necessary documents, such as wills and trusts, and by coordinating with other professionals, such as attorneys and financial advisors.
Estate planners can be attorneys, accountants, financial advisors, or other professionals with expertise in estate planning. In some cases, anyone can call themselves an estate planner, regardless of their education or experience. It is important to carefully consider an estate planner’s qualifications and experience before engaging their services.
