Top Charlottesville, VA Estate Planning Lawyers Near You
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Woods Rogers PLC
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Virginia Wills, Trusts & Estates PLC
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Attorney at Law
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Flora Pettit
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Payne & Hodous, L.L.P.
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Zunka Milnor & Carter, Ltd.
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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McGuireWoods LLP
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Richmond & Fishburne
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Morin & Barkley LLP
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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MichieHamlett
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Williams Mullen
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Julie A. King, PLC
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Snook & Haughey, P.C.
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Zobrist Law Group
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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McCallum & Kudravetz, P.C.
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Skeen & Zobrist
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Vitt Law Offices, PLC
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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Scott Kroner, PLC
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
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MartinWren, P.C.
Estate Planning Lawyers | Charlottesville Office
Charlottesville Estate Planning Information
Lead Counsel Verified Attorneys In Charlottesville
Lead Counsel independently verifies Estate Planning attorneys in Charlottesville by conferring with Virginia 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 Charlottesville 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.How an Attorney Can Help
An attorney can often resolve your particular legal issue faster and better than trying to do it alone. A lawyer can help you navigate the legal system, while avoiding costly mistakes or procedural errors. You should seek out an attorney whose practice focuses on the area of law most relevant to your issue.
What to Expect from an Initial Consultation
- Seek to determine whether the attorney can represent you. There is no one-size-fits-all legal solution and it may turn out your needs are better served by an attorney in a different specialization.
- It’s important to find a legal ally who is both competent in the law and someone you can trust to protect your interests.
- Discuss how the practice’s billing works and discuss possible additional charges or fees that may arise during or after the resolution of your case.
An attorney consultation should provide you with enough information so that you can make an informed decision on whether to proceed with legal help.
How to Find the Right Attorney
- Determine the area of law that relates to your issue. Attorneys specialize in specific practice areas around legal issues within the broad field of law.
- Seek out recommendations from friends, family, and colleagues. A successful attorney or practice will typically have many satisfied clients.
- Set up consultation appointments to get a better understanding of your case as well as gauge your comfort level with different attorneys. Find the attorney who is the right fit for your needs.
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.