How to choose the best estate planning attorney in Sacramento
Finding a great Sacramento estate planning attorney begins with identifying what your loved one needs. Price is one of the first factors to consider. If your loved one wouldn’t be able to afford to meet with a given estate planning lawyer in Modesto, you should look into other options. Likewise, you need to find a Stockton estate planning attorney who has experience with comparable estates. For example, liquid assets are usually easier to transfer than stocks or real estate holdings.
We also recommend asking any prospective estate planning attorney in Sacramento for recommendations or referrals from past clients. Some attorneys buy referrals, so the content of these reviews is largely irrelevant. Instead, the point is to be able to contact past clients and their families directly for a realistic sense of the service the lawyer provides. It takes some work on your part, but your loved one will end up with a great estate planning lawyer in Sacramento.
Facts and trends in Sacramento estate planning
How many seniors in Sacramento are participating in estate planning?
The idea that estate planning is important isn’t exactly controversial, but many seniors still try to get out of doing it because they don’t want to think about their finances or dying in their remaining years. The statistics below highlight how many Californians filed tax returns with trust in 2014:
| Number of Returns Filed for Complex Trust | Number of Returns filed for Simple Trust |
|---|---|
| 147,301 | 113,850 |
California’s high population gives it higher raw totals than most other states, but its estate planning participation rate is still too low for our liking. Finding a great estate planning lawyer in Modesto for your loved one is a great way to ensure that they do not end up slipping through the cracks.
How many seniors in Sacramento are participating in estate planning?
Writing a will and having a power of attorney in place are considered the gold standard of estate planning, but many seniors haven’t gotten around to either of them yet. A 2017 study conducted by the AARP took a look at the percentage of seniors who had done so by age:
Adults Age 72 or Older With a Will
Adults Age 53-71 With a Will
Adults 72 or Older With Power of Attorney in Place
While it’s good that 80 percent of seniors 72 years of age or older have a will and power of attorney in place, their younger brethren are lagging too far behind. Likewise, one in five older seniors doesn’t have a will written. A Sacramento estate planning attorney can help ensure that your loved one is not among them.
What are the benefits of working with an estate planning law firm in Sacramento?
Estate planning services in Stockton allow seniors to choose who receives what, giving them control over their legacy while allowing them to take care of their loved ones one last time. If the senior in your life loved the arts, their lawyer could help them donate to a local museum or artist’s collective. Writing a will can also reduce the chances of familial strife, an important consideration when we’ve all seen countless families fight over money. Your loved one will always be able to adjust their final wishes as well, so committing something to paper doesn’t cost them any future flexibility.
Estate planning solutions for Sacramento seniors
Few people want to think about estate planning whether it’s their assets or a loved one’s at stake, but it’s still an important conversation to have. It could give you peace of mind, after all. We can help you find a fantastic Sacramento estate planning attorney for your loved one, so please browse our free resources today.
