Many Americans neglect to acknowledge they own an estate. That is, they own some property that holds value.
When someone dies, their property must be divided according to their last will and testament. Your job as a lawyer is to ensure your client's property and beneficiaries are protected.
Estate planning is often thought of as a time-consuming, complex legal process. This is true in some cases. These cases are usually people with numerous large assets.
Estate planning software can make this process much easier for everyone involved.
Having access to the best estate planning software can make everything much smoother for you and your clients. Here are 5 signs you might need it.
1. You Want to Help Your Clients Avoid Lengthy Probate
Probate is the legal process of dividing property amongst living heirs in front of a court. This will happen regardless of whether or not someone leaves a will.
In most cases, probate is unavoidable.
However, the probate process can be a big hassle for the family following the death of a loved one. When you create a comprehensive will, you can help your client's family avoid some of this legal process.
A thoroughly drafted will create a better legal space for the client's family. The probate process will be shorter and cost less money.
Everything must be well-accounted for within the contents of the will.
Whether or not your client owns a lot of valuable property, you can always benefit from good estate planning software. If you find you have a lot on your plate, it can help ease some of the stress.
2. You Wish to Spend Less Time Drafting
Your primary job is to help your clients. Estate planning software allows you to draft documents that would traditionally take ages. Do this with just a few keystrokes!
Some of these documents can reach hundreds of pages long.
When you use estate planning software, you can spend more time consulting your clients. This has several benefits.
You can better meet your clients' needs and wants. You can build a better relationship with all your clients.
Your living clients are more likely to return to you for their legal needs. They are more likely to refer you to friends, colleagues, and family.
3. You Want More Time to Look for Errors
Some people don't trust the efficacy of estate planning software. This is because most people use estate planning software instead of consulting a lawyer.
With any complex legal process, it's always best to consult a lawyer. Nothing beats years of experience.
Let's face it, though. You're human, and you make mistakes. Computers make mistakes as well.
When you use estate planning software to create your clients' wills, you'll have more time to review the documents. It's almost like having a fresh pair of eyes reviewing the document.
You'll better be able to catch any errors or room for improvement. Your interest is in creating the best possible will for each client.
Additionally, you can add or remove any clauses that your client specifies. For example, a client may wish to leave a particular asset to their child. They may wish to add that the child must meet a specified condition, such as sobriety.
4. You Wish to Review the Documents With Your Clients
Many clients will have no clue about the legal process of drafting a will. Using good estate planning software will give you more time to review the documents with your clients.
You can better explain any complex legal terms or processes. Your clients may have long lists of questions and concerns.
Your consultations will be much more useful for both you and your clients.
Down the road, your clients may wish to review or revise their wills. They may come into money, sell some property, or otherwise feel the need to make changes. Family dynamics are complicated and subject to dramatic affairs.
With the best estate planning software, you can easily go back and make changes per your clients' requests.
The wills will be stored in a database that is easily accessible. You won't have to search through filing cabinets to find the documents you seek.
5. You Want to Gain Control of Your Office's Workflow
If you spend too much time drafting documents, you may find that your office gets all out of order. An effective law practice requires a great deal of organization. Effective organization is key to success.
Disorganization leads to clutter and confusion, which can get in the way of the more important matters at hand.
If you sacrifice organization, you sacrifice your ability to help your clients. This is bad for everyone.
It's in your best interest to keep your documents organized. If you have assistants or other workers in your office, you may need to make sure their work is done.
Essentially, you need to make sure each of your clients is taken care of from start to finish. People often complain that an attorney was poor in communication.
Focus more on making sure each client is scheduled properly and leaves this world with a thoroughly drafted will.
Estate planning software will save you hours of time. Use this time to regain your estate planning workflow.
Everything in your office will start flowing smoother. You can better streamline your estate planning process.
Take Care of Clients With the Best Estate Planning Software
You want to make sure each client is satisfied from start to finish. Managing your estate planning process can get a bit complicated.
With the best estate planning software, make sure you don't sacrifice quality. Give your client the most effective will that they should expect from you.
Stay organized, answer questions, and be the best lawyer you can possibly be. Build an effective estate planning process to gain confidence in clients and get more referrals.
Visit here to find out more about how to elevate your practice to the next level.
