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"Or maybe there is some reason it is better to get an estate lawyer?"
yes and yes.
misspellings are the ones we ran into.
Prentice or Prentiss or whatever.
please make super-sure all the
T's are crossed...blah,blah,blah.
eventually, the misconceptions
are overruled, but it takes Time
and Money and more Time AND
MORE $$$.
I had a simple will done for $175. I can't say it was worth even that. I went to a lawyer and they had a "boilerplate" will on MS word. They took your info, filled in the MS word doc, sent it to you for approval. I corrected some things, the secretary changed them and e-mailed them back. I went in, signed it and that was all. Pretty simple on their part and I really think I could have done it online myself or done a do it yourself will kit. But in the end I had the lawyer do it but I felt kind of ripped off. I'm single and my "estate" is pretty straightforward. Maybe if you have a bunch of money, kids, ex wives, and other stuff it is worth it to really pay the freight.
Call a few Attornies and ask for their price for a simple will. Probably a lot less expensive than you thought. Remember most of the will will be "boiler plate".
You can leave financial assets without a will. Very simple. Go to your financial institution and add the charities to the accounts as the beneficiary. You can specify a percent. Maybe able to do this on line. Any assets that you leave this way will by pass your will. Even if you get a will it is probably best to name beneficiaries. Naming beneficiaries this way does not require an attorney.
After you do all your research it would still be best to discuss with an attorney.
Call a few Attornies and ask for their price for a simple will. Probably a lot less expensive than you thought. Remember most of the will will be "boiler plate".
You can leave financial assets without a will. Very simple. Go to your financial institution and add the charities to the accounts as the beneficiary. You can specify a percent. Maybe able to do this on line. Any assets that you leave this way will by pass your will. Even if you get a will it is probably best to name beneficiaries. Naming beneficiaries this way does not require an attorney.
After you do all your research it would still be best to discuss with an attorney.
I have looked at my banks' forms for leaving assets. I have several CDs, so they change over the years as they mature and go into a new or other investment. Not sure how that would effect things, but I guess I can find out.
I did. look online for information about handwritten wills (called holographic wills) and they are legal in most states, including mine and there is some guidance.
My brother in law spent a lot getting his will prepared by a lawyer. After he died, it turned out the lawyer didn't sign it, and the will was unenforceable.
His wife died a few months later, and B-I-L's siblings lawyered up because her will gave them less money than his will would have. But her will included a clause that if anybody contested the will, all money and property would go to her mother. Things went smoothly after that.
But the best way to pass along money in banks is to designate heirs for your accounts. Then the money passes directly to them without a will or probate. Get the form from your bank.
That's got to be better than free anonymous advice on the internet?
Plus, I think you need more than just a will. Power of attorney, medical directive etc. I think legalzoom has a package.
LegalZoom was one online site I have been considering. I was hoping to get opinions from someone who had used it or another similar site.
The one relative I was close to died last year making me essentially a (not very) elderly orphan. I am kind of a natural recluse and comfortable with that, but it does complicate figuring out end-of-life legal matters. I do have a couple of friendly acquaintances in this area, but no one to whom I would care to give power of attorney or responsibility for a medical directive.
If you want to do a will for free a will in your own handwriting and signed by is legal anywhere.
Not true. Not all states recognize holographic wills as valid. Some only accept them if specialized conditions are met. Be sure to check.
I downloaded a template of a will that was acceptable in my state of residence (to get the required boilerplate) but used it as a starting point and modified it as seemed necessary. Mine is extremely simple...no complicating business interests, partnerships, or extended family to deal with. Then had it reviewed by an attorney in my state before placing it on file with them.
Mrs5150 is an estate planing attorney and I am retired county worker. I did three things, one of which was Public Administration (dead people stuff). Staples don't make or break a will. A will tells intent. Nothing nullifies a hand written will or a witnessed typed will. That is a legal basis for distribution of an estate. Maybe its different where you live. But yea, greedy family can spend $1000s to contest, to no avail. But maybe things are different in NY.
With that said, pay the money to an attorney to do it right
you may may want to leave the estate planning to mrs 5150 , because you are wrong across the board .
staple removal can effect the validity of a will , it does here and not all states except holographic wills .
states that do not allow holographic wills .
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
instructions from probate court below
DO NOT REMOVE THE STAPLES FROM THE WILL WHEN MAKING COPIES BEFORE FILING WITH THE COURT. Removal of staples may provide grounds for objection to probate. If the staples have been removed and the document re-stapled, you must provide the Court with a notarized affidavit stating why they were removed (i.e. for making copies), where the document has been kept since it was executed and that you believe that no substitutions/changes have been made since its execution.
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