If you look up the process of creating a will online, you will see plenty of websites that say they can help you take care of a will without an attorney. It is tempting to take care of getting a will done at what seems like a fraction of the price an attorney would charge, but remember that you do get what you pay for. There are reasons why people who understand the importance of a will and estate planning prefer tp pay the extra money to have a professional do it.
When you try to put together your will online with a website, you do not have the option of getting professional advice that could make a big difference in how you put your estate together. Do you need a will, or would a trust make more sense? There are legal and financial reasons why people choose to use trusts, and not every person who uses a trust has significant financial means.
The consultation with a professional estate planner alone is worth the money you pay to make sure your estate is done properly. A trust could be put in place to protect your assets, and it can even offer you value while you are alive. When you use a professional to do your will, you might find out that a trust is a better option.
Properly filing a completed will is not the same as programming your blu-ray player or fixing your faucet on your own. Any will is going to have a good amount of legal terminology that you might not understand, and websites that help put wills together rarely offer free legal advice. The only way you can be sure that your will was done properly is to have it done by an expert.
One of the most damaging misconceptions people have about wills and estate planning is that they are a one-and-done process. Contrary to popular belief, estate planning is an ongoing process that should be reviewed at least once a year. The world changes and your life changes constantly, and a will that was done 10 years ago and not updated no longer accurately reflects your life or your wishes after you pass away.
The ability to sit down with an estate planning expert who is familiar with your will at least once a year is incredibly important to making sure your will still reflects your last wishes. If you have a falling out with a friend or family member, you may wind up giving them a sizable portion of your estate if you do not regularly review your will.
There are things in life where going with the cheapest price is not always the best option. If you want to stay healthy, you choose the best doctor regardless of cost. If you want your will to be effective, then you spend the money on a professional to help you put together and maintain your estate.
Estate planning is not something reserved for people with significant means. It is something every person should have done, and it is definitely not something you want to entrust to a discount website.
