Your first meeting with a knowledgeable estate planning lawyer lays the groundwork for all of the things you will work together towards in the future. It is important to identify an experienced estate planning lawyer who puts you at ease during this initial interview. 

Many attorneys will offer a consultation to discuss some of your concerns and some of the strategies related to your estate planning. During this interview, you should not only be asking questions about your individual situation but screening the attorney to make sure that you are comfortable with working with him or her.

Complete and accurate information is vital to putting together a comprehensive estate plan so you should always be honest and upfront with your estate planning lawyer to ensure that your attorney has all the relevant information. An estate planning attorney will craft unique strategies aligned with your individual needs and therefore, it is important to verify that you have a comprehensive listing of all of your assets prior to attending this meeting.

Make sure that you have the opportunity to address your current family structure and any other unique concerns, such as your desire to pass things on to charity or to exclude certain parties from your estate planning. These steps can be instrumental in helping you to outlining a full plan for protecting all of your interests and knowing what to expect down the road.

Your estate planning attorney should be well informed about relevant state and federal laws and be able to guide you through the process of selecting the tactics and strategies that are most relevant for you. It is important, however, that you have a personal connection and confidence in your estate planning lawyer’s abilities, since he or she will be playing an important role in defining your future.