When it comes to end-of-life issues, people in California might start to get a little uneasy. After all, estate planning, health care directives and retirement issues aren’t something people think about a lot and the odds are that it’s an uncertain area for older people who are thinking about these issues for the first time. Finding an attorney is easy, but finding the right one, a trustworthy attorney with the right combination of experience and knowledge in estate planning matters, is a whole different issue. It’s a fast, complex world out there and people may not know where to turn for legal advice they can trust.
In most cases, having a power of attorney is an essential part of an estate plan. In case of something unforeseeable happening, having a designated representative to carry out a person’s wishes is a necessary and vital part of an estate plan. But finding the right person to wield this power on behalf of the client is also just as important. A compassionate attorney listens to clients to understand family dynamics and other issues, which may be influential on the development of the estate plan.
The initial consultation is mostly about listening to what the client has to say, what issues they are facing and what outcomes they would like to accomplish. While some attorneys try to wedge their clients into one-size-fits-all estate planning packages, it can be more effective to customize services to the client’s precise specifications. For more information see our powers of attorney web page.
