One in four Americans express that inflation has heightened their recognition of the importance of estate planning.
An aging population, increased awareness of health risks brought on by the pandemic and concerns about inflation are prompting more Americans to consider wills, estate plans and comprehensive legal guidance for their later years. However, the majority of Americans – approximately two-thirds – have not yet prepared any form of estate planning document. The upshot? There is a significant opportunity to grow an estate planning practice within your firm.
One in four Americans express that inflation has heightened their recognition of the importance of estate planning.
According to the Caring.com 2023 Wills Survey, compared to 2020, younger Americans are now 63% more inclined to have an estate plan, with over one in three stating that inflation has amplified their perception of its necessity.
How can firms efficiently build a new estate planning practice or improve the profitability of an existing practice? Successful estate planning firms are increasingly implementing legal practice management tools and technology in enhancing efficiency and client relationships. CARET Legal Enterprise Advance software offers several key features that support the LPM needs of estate planners.
Stay Organized
An intuitive legal practice management system enables attorneys to effortlessly organize client information, important dates and documents related to wills, trusts and estate plans. This streamlined approach minimizes the risk of errors, enhances productivity and ensures that critical information is easily accessible when needed.
Work from Anywhere
Flexibility is crucial in the modern legal landscape, and CARET provides attorneys with the ability to work from anywhere. With cloud-based access, you can securely get into client files, make updates and collaborate with colleagues, all while on the go. This feature not only improves efficiency but also allows you to provide a responsive and personalized service that builds client confidence and loyalty.
Build Client Relationships
In the realm of elder law and estate planning, clients often communicate on weekends and evenings. When managing your practice on CARET Legal, you can use integrated email, text messaging or the secure portal to communicate status, share documents and obtain client signatures.
An intuitive case management system enables attorneys to effortlessly organize client information, important dates and documents related to wills, trusts and estate plans.
Save Time
Time is a valuable resource, and CARET helps firms wisely manage it. For instance, the integration of HotDocs, available in the CARET Legal Enterprise Advance bundle, allows for seamless document automation. By leveraging prebuilt templates, attorneys can generate accurate and comprehensive legal documents efficiently. The hours you save can then be focused on providing valuable legal and financial advice.
Automate Document Creation with HotDocs
A particularly notable feature of CARET Legal Enterprise, especially for firms that choose the Advance bundle, is the integration of HotDocs with the practice management system. This integration enables you to automate the creation of legal documents, resulting in significant time savings. Utilizing templates and standardized workflows ensures that wills, trusts, powers of attorney and other estate planning documents are accurate and error-free. Reusable, editable templates make the most of your investment in legal work products.
Law firm Ballard Spahr produces sophisticated wills, trusts and other estate planning documents for high-net-worth individuals. Employing copy-and-paste techniques to draft documents – a laborious and time-consuming process – used to take at least a full day. It was also a high-risk process prone to error. Recognizing the need to increase efficiency, minimize errors and make the new process available across the firm, Ballard implemented a new system using HotDocs to automate the production of estate planning documents.
Learn how Ballard Spahr reduced document production from a full-day effort to 30 minutes.
The growing fields of wealth management and estate planning present abundant opportunities for law firms. Embracing legal practice management tools, such as CARET Legal’s Enterprise Advance plan, can empower both new and existing practices to thrive in this dynamic area. By staying organized, working from anywhere, saving time through document automation and building stronger client relationships, attorneys can position themselves as trusted advisors in the realm of wealth management and estate planning. The integration of HotDocs further enhances efficiency, accuracy and overall client satisfaction. As this field continues to expand, it is crucial for law firms to adopt innovative solutions to meet client needs effectively.
HotDocs by CARET is now offered with CARET Legal’s Enterprise Advance plan. Learn how the powerful combination of legal practice management plus document automation can take your firm further.
Watch the on-demand webinar: The Power of Document Automation + Practice Management
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