Find an attorney
Every state bar operates a Lawyer Referral Service. Initial consultations are typically low-cost or free. For specialised trusts-and-estates work, look for ACTEC fellows or NAELA members.
Virginia State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
Official Virginia State Bar referral program. Typical first consultation is 30 minutes for a modest flat fee; the bar matches you to a licensed attorney in your practice area.
From the Virginia State Bar homepage, select 'For the Public' → 'Lawyer Referral Service'.
West Virginia State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
Official WV State Bar referral. Lists attorneys by practice area and geography; initial consults are typically low-cost or free.
From the WV State Bar homepage, select 'For the Public' → 'Lawyer Referral Service'.
Alabama State Bar — Lawyer Referral Service
Official Alabama State Bar referral program connecting you to a licensed Alabama attorney for a 30-minute initial consultation at a modest flat fee.
From the Alabama State Bar homepage, select 'For the Public' → 'Lawyer Referral Service'.
ACTEC — American College of Trust & Estate Counsel
ACTEC fellows are elected by their peers and are among the most respected trusts-and-estates attorneys in the country. Use the Fellow search to locate one in your state. Hourly rates are high ($500–$1,200+) but this is the right bar for complex estate-tax planning.
From the ACTEC homepage, select 'Find a Fellow'.
NAELA — National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Attorneys focused on elder law — Medicaid planning, long-term-care planning, special-needs trusts, guardianship, and VA benefits. Search by ZIP for NAELA members; ask about CELA (Certified Elder Law Attorney) certification.
American Bar Association — Lawyer Referral directories
Master index of every state-and-local bar association's Lawyer Referral Service. Use as a fallback if your state bar's direct URL has changed.
Find a notary
Any state-commissioned notary public can notarize your documents. Most banks, UPS Stores, and public libraries offer notary services for free or a small fee.
Virginia Notary Commission lookup
Virginia notaries are commissioned by the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. You do not need to use a specific notary — any Virginia-commissioned notary public can notarize your signature; banks, UPS Stores, and public libraries commonly offer notary services.
From the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth homepage, select 'Official Documents' → 'Notary Services'.
West Virginia Secretary of State — Notary Division
West Virginia notaries are commissioned by the Secretary of State. Any WV notary public may notarize; banks, credit unions, and many shipping stores offer notary services.
From the WV Secretary of State site, select 'Business & Licensing' → 'Notaries'.
Alabama Secretary of State — Notary Public
Alabama notaries are commissioned through the Probate Judge of the county in which they reside, and administratively tracked by the Secretary of State. Any AL-commissioned notary may notarize.
From the AL Secretary of State site, select 'Business & Licensing' → 'Notaries Public'.
Courts — probate, circuit, and county-level
Where to file a will, record a deed, or pursue probate. Structures differ meaningfully: Virginia uses Circuit Courts, West Virginia uses County Commissions, and Alabama uses elected Probate Judges.
Virginia Courts — Circuit Court locator
Virginia probate is handled by the Circuit Court in the city or county where the decedent was domiciled. The Circuit Court Clerk's office accepts voluntary deposit of wills for safekeeping under Va. Code § 64.2-409.
From vacourts.gov, select 'Courts' → 'Circuit Courts' → 'Locations & Hours'.
West Virginia Judiciary — County Commission probate
West Virginia probate is administered by the County Commission and the county's elected Fiduciary Commissioner / Fiduciary Supervisor, not by a dedicated court. Wills are filed with the County Clerk in the county of domicile.
From courtswv.gov, search for your county or visit your County Clerk's office directly.
Alabama Unified Judicial System — Probate Courts
Alabama probate is handled by the elected Probate Judge in the county of the decedent's domicile. Each of Alabama's 67 counties has its own Probate Court — filings, wills, and estate administration all go through that office.
From judicial.alabama.gov, select 'Courts' → 'Probate Courts' → locate your county.
State registries + state agencies
Voluntary registration of your advance directive with the state's health department makes the document retrievable by hospitals. Medicaid agencies handle long-term-care application workflows.
Virginia Advance Health Care Directive Registry
Free, voluntary registration of your advance medical directive with the Virginia Department of Health. Makes the document retrievable by any Virginia hospital during a medical emergency. Filing is optional — your directive is fully valid without registration.
From vdh.virginia.gov, search 'Advance Health Care Directive Registry'.
Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (Medicaid)
Virginia Medicaid — long-term-care, Commonwealth Coordinated Care Plus, and asset-transfer rules (5-year lookback). Apply via CommonHelp or the local Department of Social Services.
West Virginia Living Will Registry
Free voluntary registration with the WV Secretary of State. Registered directives are retrievable 24/7 by authorized healthcare providers.
From sos.wv.gov, select 'Business & Licensing' → 'Living Will Registry'.
West Virginia Department of Human Services — Medicaid
West Virginia Medicaid including long-term-care services. Apply via WV PATH or the local DHHR office.
Alabama Medicaid Agency
Alabama Medicaid long-term-care, nursing-home, and elderly-and-disabled waiver programs. Apply via the Alabama Medicaid Agency district office.
Financial + tax professionals
For sophisticated estate-tax, gift-tax, and investment work, you want a CPA and a fiduciary financial planner working alongside your attorney. Look for NAPFA fee-only certification, CFP credentials, and AICPA PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) designations.
CFP Board — Let's Make a Plan (Certified Financial Planner search)
Search Certified Financial Planner professionals by ZIP and specialty. CFP is the minimum credential to look for; ask about fiduciary duty and compensation model (fee-only vs. commission).
NAPFA — National Association of Personal Financial Advisors
All NAPFA members are fee-only fiduciaries — no commissions, no product sales. The cleanest incentive structure for estate-planning and tax-strategy advice.
From napfa.org, select 'Find an Advisor'.
AICPA — Find a CPA
American Institute of CPAs member directory. For estate-tax and GST-tax planning, look for a CPA with a PFS (Personal Financial Specialist) credential or an enrolled-agent with estate-tax depth.
From aicpa-cima.com, search 'Find a CPA'.
Federal agencies + consumer protection
Direct government resources — Social Security, IRS, VA benefits, Medicare. And the CFPB, which is the fastest lever when a bank refuses to honor a properly-executed power of attorney.
Social Security Administration
Retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. For estate matters, the SSA also handles lump-sum death benefit, survivor benefits, and name-change / death-record corrections.
IRS — Contact Your Local Taxpayer Assistance Center
In-person appointment-based help for federal tax questions. For estate-tax returns (Form 706) and gift-tax returns (Form 709), route through a CPA or tax attorney rather than the IRS directly.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Aid & Attendance Pension (wartime veterans + surviving spouses), burial benefits, and VA healthcare eligibility. Apply through a VA-accredited attorney, claims agent, or Veterans Service Organization (VSO — free).
Medicare.gov
Federal health-insurance-for-65-plus program. Enrollment, Medigap, Part D, and the Care Compare tool for nursing homes.
Medicare Care Compare (nursing homes, hospitals, home health)
Official CMS quality and inspection data for US nursing homes, hospitals, hospice, and home-health agencies. The first source to check when evaluating a long-term-care facility.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
If a bank refuses to honor a properly-executed power of attorney, file a complaint with the CFPB. Banks respond faster to CFPB complaints than to legal demand letters.
Missing an official directory for your state?
Mister AMS covers Federal + Virginia + West Virginia + Alabama in depth. Additional states will be added as the product grows. For a state not listed, start with the American Bar Association's master index of state and local Lawyer Referral Services (linked above under “Find an attorney”) or your state's Secretary of State website.