Everything You Need to Know About Estate Planning Software
Given that 60% of Americans don't have a will, you have to ask why they would be averse to taking this important step in planning their estate. While for some, it might be a matter of willful ignorance, for others it could just be that they tried and it was too complicated. With the combination of the right lawyer and the right estate planning software, they could plan for the future of their loved ones the right way.
Here are 5 things that every attorney needs to know about estate planning software.
1. It's Super Efficient
Using specialized programs allows you to automate some of the most time-consuming and mundane tasks in any field or industry. Estate planning is no exception.
Estate planning can be exhausting as you comb through page after page of similar looking documentation to make small changes. Since you'll need the same kind of documents for most of your clients, you'll end up experiencing a lot of repetition. Rather than getting bogged down doing the same tasks over and over, you can get your software to work for you.
You can easily check through and make sure you haven't missed anything. You can flag any problems before the paperwork gets in the hands of your clients.
Attorneys need to create client-friendly documents to expedite the estate planning process. Rather than give them some fourth-hand photocopied documents that are smudged and hard to read, give them something easy to read and understand. Help them get through the process of planning their estate by offering paperwork that makes sense in plain English.
2. Get Additional Services
Estate planning software offers services beyond the ability to generate and print out documents. While the most basic software should do these tasks with ease and simplicity, they should offer more than assistance with composing your estate plans. They should give you services that you wouldn't be able to get without the software.
Using client questionnaires, you can streamline the process of composing documents. When clients fill in information on their own, you're less likely to make mistakes and will have data that comes directly from their desk to your own. You'll have a backup copy of their information to quickly forward to them to check and make sure no mistakes were made.
Your software can also help you to educate your clients on the process. You can walk them through the process as you create their will so that they feel the process is as transparent as possible.
If you take advantage of customizable templates, you can get to know the documents you create very intimately. When you walk your clients through your custom template, you can be sure to avoid any kind of malpractice suit. Estate planning software offers you every opportunity to be as transparent as possible with your clients.
3. Help Your Clients Save Money
When you're able to work efficiently, you don't need to charge your clients as much. If you charge clients by the hour, anything to cut down on the hours you work allows your clients to save money and allows you to work on more projects.
Estate planning software is great for attorneys with a lot on their plate. Often having a lot of clients is better than having a few who make a lot of demands on you. When you have a lot of different clients, you can diversify in various ways.
If you do a great job on someone's estate, they might have you handle the estates for the entire family. For the low cost of installing estate planning software, you could see your business double or triple. By not having to make so many trips to the copier and being able to streamline the process of creating a will, clients will be happy with the price tag.
Software companies also offer lots of different plans. Depending on the size of your company, you could be paying next to nothing to outfit your office with robust estate planning software.
4. Support You Can Rely On
With most of the software that you install for your computer, you're probably not getting the most out of it. While there are plenty of tutorials and courses you could take to learn the ins and outs, few people have the time to learn the full capabilities of the software.
You'll need help from a customer support line from time to time. Thankfully, the best estate planning software out there comes with the ability to call up tech support day or night. For a toll-free call, you could learn a new tactic or a new method for building a will.
Support is there to answer any question you have about the software you're working with. Given that you might have overlooked some small element of building a will in the past, working with tech support over the phone, you'll learn something new.
This is just one hidden benefit of estate planning software.
5. Convenience is Key
Not every estate lawyer's office looks the same. Some people work from home, others work on the go, and you never know when someone is going to need something.
Similarly, some people leave their will to the last minute, putting attorneys in a position where they need to be flexible.
Combining your software with a cloud storage solution means that you could access any client's will at any point, from anywhere on the planet. Your clients could decide to change their wills at a moment's notice. Rather than scrambling to make changes on the next business day, you could do it all from your laptop.
Estate Planning Software Requires a Good Lawyer
Just because you've bought the greatest estate planning software on the market doesn't mean you get to slack off as an attorney. You'll still need to represent your clients' best interests and ensure that they have everything they need to support their family's future. You can be the one to help decide how easy their heirs have it in the future.
Check out our guide to ensure that all of your clients have everything they need.
