DIY wills are all the rage, but are they wise? While it might be tempting to save money by not hiring probate attorneys and creating these legal documents yourself, it really is something a will attorney should do.
In today's internet age,
there are a number of do-it-yourself forms for nearly every legal service. This includes powers of attorney, wills, guardianships, and more. While there may be some benefits from DIY legal paperwork, certain documents should have the attention of probate attorneys.
Why Not DIY Legal Paperwork?
With a quick search online, you'll likely find thousands of sites that claim to offer free or reduced price wills and guardianship documents, among others. These documents can be adequate, but careful attention should be paid because they may require precise wording, witnesses, or tweaking.
If you draw up one of these documents yourself, after you're gone, your family and loved ones may uncover that it's not an actual legal document. This can add more stress to an already stressful time and can lead to family feuds over possessions, guardianship, and estates. With so many things that can go wrong with a DIY legal document, many people are wisely choosing to hire a will attorney.
Why Hire A Will Attorney?
When you hire a lawyer, you're leaving nothing to chance. A lawyer can help you look at your assets and draw up your last wishes while going through other estate planning documents such as a medical directive and guardianship papers. These lawyers can also help you distribute wealth in a way that makes sense and minimizes the tax liabilities your loved ones have to face.
A Will Attorney Can Help With Clear Medical Directives
Do your loved ones know about your wishes if you're unable to make medical decisions for yourself? If you don't make your wishes clear, you may end up with lifesaving efforts when you wish there to be none, or vice versa.
Hire A Guardianship Lawyer For Your Children
It's a frightening thought for any parent that they could die and leave behind minor children. Children without legal guardians named by paperwork drawn up by a guardianship lawyer run the risk of being put into foster care until family members step forward and volunteer to take them in. This is one case where DIY documents just don't cut it. If there is any doubt over the authenticity or validity of your paperwork, your children's well-being could in jeopardy.
Probate Attorneys Help Keep Families Together
Unfortunately, death and times of crisis often bring out the worst in families. Even normally close families can succumb to squabbling after a declaration is distributed. If you use probate attorneys to draw up your will instead of completing a DIY version, the lawyer will be knowledgeable about what it includes. In severe cases, probate attorneys can also help defend your last wishes if a family member decides to challenge them in court.
It might be tempting to save a few dollars and use DIY legal paperwork. However, the money you save might just cause a big headache for your loved ones after you die. Instead, hire a will attorney - the fee is negligible when you consider the peace of mind you're receiving in return.
