Personal Finance: Ask the Experts: How do we find a good estate planning attorney?

Personal Finance: Ask the Experts

Get advice on money matters from The Bee's Claudia Buck and a panel of local experts

August 15, 2012

How do we find a good estate planning attorney?

Q: We have an older Trust which was written when our children were minors. We need to update and make some changes since the children are now in their 40s. We need recommendation for a trust attorney in our area, we are elderly and driving into the city is a problem for us. It is important to make changes in our trust before we are gone from this earth. Recommendations for a good and reasonable priced attorney in our area would be appreciated. --Gloria, Gold River, CA

A: Yes, you should definitely update your Trust to fit your current circumstances. If you are in need of a local estate planning attorney, there are several ways to find one. The State Bar of California provides links for legal assistance services at http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/MemberSearch/FindLegalHelp#searchlink. Additionally, you can search the State Bar's website for Certified Specialists in Estate Planning, and you can limit your search to a specific geographic area: http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/ls_search.aspx.

Ask your friends, local family members, and other trusted advisors (such as your accountant, banker, financial advisor, or insurance professional) for personal recommendations to experienced estate planning lawyers they respect and trust. Other options for finding local attorneys include websites such as lawyers.com or avvo.com, which often include ratings and reviews for local attorneys.

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Claudia Buck is The Sacramento Bee's personal finance columnist. Read all her columns here. Contact her at cbuck@sacbee.com

Terri Carpenter

Terri Carpenter offers advice on job hunting, retraining and career counseling. Carpenter works at Sacramento Works Inc., the career and job training arm of the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA). With 15 years in the field, she has hands-on experience with everyone from first-time job seekers to career professionals seeking advice after a layoff or looking for a mid-career change. Ask her a question.

Carlena Tapella

Carlena Tapella is a partner in the law firm of Webb & Tapella Law Corp. in Sacramento. The firm specializes in estate planning and probate, such as estates, trusts, conservatorships and litigation. She is a past president of the Sacramento County Bar Association's Estate Planning & Probate Section. Ask her a question.

Kimberly Foss, certified financial planner, is the founder of Empyrion Wealth Management in Roseville. With nearly 30 years in the financial industry, her clients include women in transition, small business owners, retirees and "pre-retirees." Ask her a question.

Gregory Burke, a CPA and tax expert with John Waddell & Co. in Sacramento since 1984, worked as an IRS tax auditor for six years. He’s a past chairman of the California Society of CPAs. Ask him a question.

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