Thinking about one's own mortality is not a very pleasant experience and one that a lot of people tend to try and avoid. However, despite the natural aversion to it, it is a topic that everyone should think about because planning what will happen to your estate after you pass on is perhaps one of the most important planning processes that you will ever have to undertake. Estate planning can be a very daunting endeavor. There are many real and tangible decisions that need to be made, many of them rife with legal, financial and emotional ramifications. That is precisely why is key to not go at it alone and instead employ the services of a skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced estate planning attorney. In fact many jurisdictions in the United States do not even acknowledge a holographic will, a will that is written by a lay person, and will only admit into probate a will that was properly drafted and executed by a licensed attorney. What that means is that if you simply draft a will by yourself, there is a very good chance that the probate courts will simply ignore it and distribute your estate through intestate succession, meaning that your last wishes regarding the distribution of your estate will not be honored and you will have no control over what happens to your possessions or who gets control of them. By hiring an estate planning attorney you will be giving yourself the peace of mind that your final wishes will be honored. Moreover, an estate planning attorney will be able to best help you navigate the many laws that surround inheritance. He or she may be able to advise you as to how to best set up your assets to ensure that your heirs inherit as much as they possibly can from your estate without large portions of it being paid in taxes. The laws surrounding estate planning are highly technical and complex and require a very specific type of knowledge and experience. Not just any attorney can do it. So if you are in need of estate planning services, please do not hesitate. Reach out to an estate planning attorney today.