Situations in which people can benefit from legal advice and representation arise every day. Whether it’s help writing a will or assistance closing a new home purchase, lawyers can provide a host of invaluable services to their clients. Legal representation can be costly, and those costs might compel people to go it alone.
However, there are many situations in which hiring a lawyer is the appropriate move.
Complex situations: A do-it-yourself approach might work with minor home improvement projects. However, that approach is rarely in a person’s best interest when a legal issue arises. That’s because legal issues are often more complex than they seem due to nuances in laws. Understanding those nuances is the responsibility of a lawyer and requires years of study. When a complex legal situation arises, the abilities of a lawyer can make the difference between a successful outcome and one that puts individuals in jeopardy.
The death of a loved one: Lawyers can help the families of recently deceased individuals navigate the potentially complex allocation of that person’s estate. For example, lawyers who specialize in probate law can ensure all tax obligations are met and can offer insight and expertise on how to handle any disputes that may arise regarding the deceased individual’s will and assets.
Extensive estate planning: Lawyers who specialize in estate planning are often mistaken as being the same as probate lawyers. But that’s not necessarily the case. Though some lawyers provide both estate planning and probate services, those services are different. Probate attorneys handle the administration of an estate after a client dies. Estate planning attorneys work with living clients who want to draft their wills and ensure their assets are allocated according to their preferences after they die. Individuals with large and/or complex estates can work with estate planning attorneys to establish trusts and create extensive asset distribution plans for people who have multiple heirs and beneficiaries in their wills.