If you are thinking about creating your own estate planning documents through an online do-it-yourself legal document preparation service, think again. The money that you “save” in the short term will likely cost your family far more down the road. Through the years, I have seen many such wills and trusts come across my desk for review. I am often shocked by the poor quality of the documents that I see.
A computer program is no replacement for the professional guidance and experience of an attorney. If you create your own will and trust through an online service, you are likely to end up with documents that are any one or more of the following: vague, inconsistent, incomplete, and not customized to your particular needs. As a result, after the passing of a loved one, many families end up feuding and having to go to court to ask a judge to interpret the intent of the documents.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of some planning situations that may particularly be at risk of being botched by a do-it-yourself estate plan: you own a professional practice, you own a business, you are part of a blended family, you have over a million dollars in assets, you own real estate, you want to ensure that your minor children will never be taken into protective care by the authorities, you want your family to have somewhere to turn to for guidance after you are gone, you have a special needs child, and the list goes on.
I feel that do-it-yourself online estate planning document preparation services provide clients with a false sense of security. If you don’t want any ambiguity or uncertainty about your wishes and feuding amongst your loved ones when you pass away, I recommend working with an experienced estate planning attorney to put your affairs in order.
For more information about Lisa S. Golshani’s services, call 661-362-0770.