Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can’t, you are right.
– Unknown (at least to me)

Hi Collin County Parents,

I’m happy to report that the friend of mine that I mentioned last week with the heart surgery is out of the hospital!  Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.  Like I said last week during my Personal Strategy Note: THANK YOU for your friendship, your business, and your time.

This week, I’d like to talk about some all-too-common mistakes people make regarding legal services and how you can avoid them.

Aaron Miller’s
“Straight Talk” Personal Strategy
Two All-Too-Common Mistakes

Why do so many families end up with a big fat mess on their hands in dealing with their estate when there is a change in circumstances? Well, here’s two reasons to start…

Going it alone with “cheap” online options

Some people try to save money by using online or electronic will providers such as LegalZoom® or Quicken Willmaker®. The problem is that these programs can’t provide a personal relationship and can’t or give you personal service that only a real live attorney can give you. By knowing you and your family, and digging in and finding out what is important to you, we are able to put in place a plan that perfectly fits your family. This isn’t something that you can really get online. 

Plus, while it may feel like you are saving money by using programs like this, they can actually cost you an arm and a leg in the long run! Now, I’m not referring to the money for the service itself. But what happens when you actually need to use that plan? Is there someone there knows you and your family and can walk you through the process? I hope that you agree that having a well-trained and caring professional, who will put YOUR interests first and stand by your family during this time is worth way more than what you may “save” by using someone that is just making another “sale” online.

Now, how do you choose the right planning lawyer to fit your needs?

Choosing a lawyer who will charge you overly-high hourly rates for simple services.

Some lawyers will lure you in with (again) “cheap” basic services…and proceed to rack up the fees as they execute planning services which really should have been covered by the flat fee.

When you’re investigating flat fee services from a lawyer, here are some simple questions to ask:

– “Are all of your fees flat fees?”
– “What about ongoing work after the initial completion of my estate plan documents?”
– “What happens when I call with legal questions 2 years after my planning documents were completed?”
– “What if the questions are about something other than my estate plan?”

You need to be satisfied by the answers you receive to these questions, as they often sneak up on families after-the-fact, and can be a major drain on your family’s cashflow.

I hope this clears up the confusion…

To your family’s wealth, health, and happiness!

Aaron Miller

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