The first call to an estate planning attorney

BEFORE THE CALL — Have these ready

  • Approximate total estate value (round to nearest $100K)
  • State you live in (and any state where you own real estate)
  • Marital status + spouse details if married
  • Number of children + ages + whether all of the same marriage
  • Any specific concerns (blended family, special needs heir,
    business interests, charitable goals, recent move, recent
    death of a family member)
  • A rough sense of timeline ("we want to do this in the next
    month")


THE OPENING

You:
   "Hi, I'm [Your Name]. I'm calling because I'd like to engage
   an estate planning attorney. I'm hoping we could spend a few
   minutes seeing if you're a good fit for what I need."


ANSWER TYPICAL ATTORNEY INTAKE QUESTIONS — concisely

Most attorneys will ask:
  1. Are you married, single, divorced, widowed?
  2. Do you have children? Their ages? All from this marriage?
  3. Approximate net worth? (Don't overthink — a rough number
     is fine.)
  4. Real estate? In which states?
  5. Are you in our state? (They'll ask about jurisdiction.)
  6. What prompted you to call now?
  7. Do you currently have any documents? (Will, trust, POA,
     etc.) How old?

Answer each in 1-2 sentences. Don't elaborate yet.


THE QUESTIONS YOU ASK BACK

These five questions tell you whether the attorney is right
for you:

  1. "What's your typical engagement process — start to signed
     documents?"
     [You want to hear: 3-6 weeks; a structured process;
     specific milestones.]

  2. "What's the fee structure? Flat fee or hourly?"
     [Flat fee is preferable for standard estate planning.
     Most attorneys charge $1,500–$3,500 flat for a basic
     package (will + POA + healthcare directive + maybe
     simple trust). Complex estates higher.]

  3. "Do you work primarily through a client portal, in-person,
     or by phone?"
     [Modern practices use a portal. Email-only is fine but
     dated. Phone-only with no documentation tracking is a
     yellow flag for organization.]

  4. "What's your specialty within estate planning?"
     [Most attorneys do general estate planning. Some focus
     on high-net-worth, special needs, business succession,
     elder law, or charitable. Match to your situation.]

  5. "If I have a follow-up question 6 months from now, how
     do I reach you?"
     [You want to know: easy to reach, no surprise fees for
     small questions, will the attorney still be in practice
     in 5 years.]


YELLOW FLAGS

  ⚠ Won't quote a fee on the call ("we'll discuss after we
    review your situation")
  ⚠ Pushes a specific product (insurance, specific trust
    structure) without understanding your situation
  ⚠ Says they "specialize in everything"
  ⚠ Solo practitioner over 70 with no succession plan (your
    documents may need to be replaced if they retire)
  ⚠ Long, vague time estimates ("a couple months, maybe
    longer")

RED FLAGS

  ✗ Asks for payment before engagement letter
  ✗ Discourages you from getting a second opinion
  ✗ Won't put fees in writing
  ✗ Has had a state-bar disciplinary action (check your
    state's bar website)


THE END OF THE CALL

If they're a fit:
   "I'd like to move forward. What's the next step?"
   [They'll send an engagement letter. You don't have to
   sign it on the call.]

If they're not a fit:
   "Thank you for your time. I'll think about it and follow
   up if I'd like to move forward."
   [Don't agree to engage out of politeness. The wrong
   attorney costs you years.]


AFTER THE CALL

Even if you liked them, talk to ONE more attorney before
deciding. Two intake calls. Pick the better fit. The decision
will inform 10+ years of your family's planning.