Estate planning lawyers specialize in end-of-life arrangements, including wills and trusts. Some people hire these lawyers for assistance, while other people might handle their own arrangements. You might wonder if you can handle your arrangements without a lawyer or if you should hire one. Here are some factors that typically cause people to need a lawyer for assistance with their estate plans.

You have children

The first factor to consider is your children. If you don't have kids, you might not need a lawyer. However, many people still hire lawyers even when they don't have children. People with kids generally should hire a lawyer for help. When you have kids, you need to protect them. For example, what would happen to your kids if they lost both of their parents? You can use your estate plan to determine the answer. You can name the person you want as their guardian if anything happens to you. You can also use your estate plan to provide money to them for their upbringing, college, or healthcare needs.

You have a lot of assets

The second factor to consider is your wealth. You might not need a plan if you own nothing. But you'll need to create a plan if you have wealth. Wealth can include anything, such as homes, cars, and cash. Your estate plan controls who gets these things by allowing you to choose ahead of time.

You want to avoid taxes

An estate plan is also helpful for reducing taxes. For example, do you want your family to owe taxes on the wealth they receive from you when you die? Most people want to avoid this issue, and the proper estate plan can.

You feel like you might become incapacitated

While no one can predict if they'll become incapacitated, many people like to prepare for the possibility. You can use your estate plan to determine what happens to you if you ever can't make decisions yourself or need full-time care. You can name a power of attorney for your healthcare and finances, and you can do many other things in your estate plan to prepare for unknown events.

Hire an estate planning lawyer

After reading this, you might determine that hiring an estate planning lawyer is wise. A lawyer can look at your situation and recommend how to handle your end-of-life arrangements. Contact an estate planning lawyer in your area to learn more.