At Herder and Associates, we work with Phoenix attorneys from a variety of disciplines who have a number of requests of our team including estate planning attorneys in need of legal videographers. Before we discuss who may need a videographer, let?s discuss reasons to hire an estate planning attorney versus downloading documents from the internet.
Who is originally from Arizona?
When I sit in meetings, the speaker often asks who was born in Arizona and who came here from another state. If my husband is with me, he is one of only a few to raise their hand. The rest of us were born elsewhere. Because of the transient nature of Arizonans, we?ve often had wills or trusts drawn up in other states which means what was legal or allowable in Minnesota, for example, may not be the case here. And if you?ve downloaded documents from the internet, you may have missed opportunities that can benefit your heirs and estate after you die. Something as simple as not signing on the right line or checking the proper box can mean your estate goes to probate even if that?s not what you intended.
If you?re not sure if your will is valid, contact an estate planning attorney to review it for you.
What is your legacy?
One of the myths of estate planning is that you need a lot of money to establish an estate plan and that?s not the case. If you have assets to protect or investment accounts that you want dispersed to specific people or organizations, you may need the services of an estate planning attorney to protect what you have today and plan for the future. This is especially true for blended families. If your children are minors and you die, their inheritance could go to their biological parent rather than being used to benefit the child?s education like you may want it to.
When it comes to your legacy, you can?t just say what you want to happen to your money and belongings in the event of your death, you have to write it in a legal document and have it properly executed thus ensuring your wishes become reality.
Do you need a legal videographer?
There may be situations where a family member finds it necessary to hire a legal videographer to record the execution of an estate plan or will signing ceremony. Reasons include if there is (or may be) a question of the mental capacity of the person signing the documents, circumstances surrounding the terms of the trust, or to document the occasion so there are less questions in the future. There may be family dynamics at play, as there often are when someone dies, and it may give the family peace to see their loved one on video executing the documents.
If you?re an estate planning attorney with clients who may need to hire a legal videographer, contact Herder and Associates to book an appointment.
