Top Harrington, DE Estate Planning Lawyers Near You
Law Offices of Bonnie M. Benson, P.A.
Estate Planning Lawyers | Serving Harrington, DE
Experience, Professional, Client-Friendly Law Firm
Law Office of Kevin A. O'Brien
Estate Planning Lawyers | Serving Harrington, DE
We Take the Time to Educate Our Clients.
Free Consultation
Se Habla Español
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Bonnie M. Benson, PA
Estate Planning Lawyers | Serving Harrington, DE
View ProfileClients needing legal solutions for Estate Planning can connect with Bonnie M. Benson, PA, a local Delaware practice.
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Parkowski Guerke & Swayze, P.A.
Estate Planning Lawyers | Serving Harrington, DE
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Baird Mandalas Brockstedt, LLC
Estate Planning Lawyers | Serving Harrington, DE
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Hudson Jones Jaywork & Fisher
Estate Planning Lawyers | Serving Harrington, DE
Harrington Estate Planning Information
Lead Counsel Verified Attorneys In Harrington
Lead Counsel independently verifies Estate Planning attorneys in Harrington by conferring with Delaware bar associations and conducting annual reviews to confirm that an attorney practices in their advertised practice areas and possesses a valid bar license for the appropriate jurisdictions.
Help with Estate Planning
Hiring a Harrington Estate Planning Attorney is the best way to know you’ve adequately prepared for you and your family’s future. Additionally, depending on what you wish to achieve, an estate plan can help support family members, charities, and other worthy causes.
Estate Planning Attorneys
All individuals, regardless of their financial position, will benefit from talking with an Estate Planning Lawyer. However, speaking with a lawyer can be very useful when a person suddenly comes into a lot of money, such as from inheritance or a business sale.
A proper estate plan typically utilizes both a trust and a will. These two powerful tools allow you to make sure not only that your financial goals are addressed, but that you have peace of mind knowing those you love will be taken care of properly when you’re no longer able or willing to do so.
What is estate planning?
Estate planning is the process through which you make known your wishes for what you want to happen to your assets upon your death (commonly done through a last will and testament). Estate planning also involves stating your wishes for your health care through power of attorney declarations and advanced directives. In short, it allows you to maintain control of your health care and estate.How much does estate planning cost?
There are do-it-yourself documents available online that allow you to create your own will, advance directive, and power of attorney declaration. Going this route will be cheaper than using an attorney in the present. However, it is good to work on an estate plan with your attorney to ensure you are going through the process correctly and addressing details you haven’t thought of. If you are worried about cost, you can discuss that with attorneys at your initial consultations as you shop around.What estate planning documents do you need?
Every estate plan should include a last will and testament or establish a trust. This will allow you to state how you wish to distribute your assets to beneficiaries upon your death. A power of attorney declaration will name someone you trust to handle your health care and/or financial decisions if you are ever unable to. An advanced directive (also known as a living will) will state your wishes for any care you want to receive if you are unable to make those decisions at the time. This is useful when it comes to end-of-life care or if you ever need life-saving care because of an accident or illness.Who needs estate planning?
Everyone needs estate planning, and if you are 18, it is never too early to start thinking about your plan! While we all want to live a long, full life, accidents and illnesses happen. And having a plan in place will go a long way in protecting your wishes.Best Time to Seek Legal Help
No matter what your legal issue may be, it is always best to seek legal help early in the process. An attorney can help secure what is likely to be the best possible outcome for your situation and avoid both unnecessary complications or errors.
Top Questions to Ask a Lawyer
- What is the usual process to resolve my case? How long will it take to resolve this?
- What are likely outcomes of a case like mine? What should I expect?
An experienced lawyer should be able to communicate a basic “road map” on how to proceed. The lawyer should be able to walk you through the anticipated process, key considerations, and potential pitfalls to avoid. Once you’ve laid out the facts of your situation to the lawyer, he/she should be able to frame expectations and likely scenarios to help you understand your legal issue.
How will an attorney charge me?
A reputable attorney will be very upfront about how he/she will charge you. The three most common fee structures that attorneys use to charge for their services are:
- Bill by the hour
- Contingent fee agreement
- Flat fee agreement
Depending on your specific legal situation, it’s possible that only one type of fee structure is available. For instance, criminal defense attorneys almost always bill by the hour. In a flat fee arrangement, an attorney accepts a one-time payment to help you resolve your issue. With a contingent fee agreement, the client pays little to nothing upfront and the attorney receives a percentage of the money recovered if you win your case.
Common legal terms explained
Plaintiff – a person or party who brings a lawsuit against another person(s) or party/parties in a court of law. Private persons or parties can only file suit in civil court.
Judgment – A decision of the court. Also known as a decree or order. Judgments handed down by the court are usually binding on the parties before the court.