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I worked with a number of people over the past few years to help settle several estates and talked to plenty of 'experts'. The bottom line consensus is that large estates are best done with help of an attorney, moderate sized estates can easily be done with online boiler-plate documents, and many small simple estates can easily be covered with a hand written document. Unless there is a challenge brought (and often even when there is) the probate judge just wants a sensible and witnessed will to approve.
I worked with a number of people over the past few years to help settle several estates and talked to plenty of 'experts'. The bottom line consensus is that large estates are best done with help of an attorney, moderate sized estates can easily be done with online boiler-plate documents, and many small simple estates can easily be covered with a hand written document. Unless there is a challenge brought (and often even when there is) the probate judge just wants a sensible and witnessed will to approve.
How do you define large, medium, and small in real number?
The one word of advice I can give you all is, if you want somebody to have a personal possession of yours, GIVE IT TO THEM WHILE YOU'RE ALIVE.
Don't make them wait, and jump thru hoops after you die. My father did this nonsense. He left a car (and my idiot brother a house and $$$$$).
A will and a trust are just pieces of paper. Trying to get them enforced is a different story. If my father would have given me the car six months before he died, (he stopped driving years ago) it would have been much easier than me dealing with my idiot brother to get it after he died.
Get an attorney. Set up a trust for your dog's very specific care with a dog caregiver & dollar amount named and then any charity gifts following dog's death.
The one word of advice I can give you all is, if you want somebody to have a personal possession of yours, GIVE IT TO THEM WHILE YOU'RE ALIVE.
Don't make them wait, and jump thru hoops after you die. My father did this nonsense. He left a car (and my idiot brother a house and $$$$$).
A will and a trust are just pieces of paper. Trying to get them enforced is a different story. If my father would have given me the car six months before he died, (he stopped driving years ago) it would have been much easier than me dealing with my idiot brother to get it after he died.
Want xxxxxx to have xxxx? GIVE IT TO THEM NOW.
Did you read the whole thread? It’s for charities.
Thanks for the input from so many. I appreciate it. But, honestly some of the advice reads like enriching lawyers is a very important aspect of will preparation.
As I stated, I don't have a large estate. There is a very real chance that it will all be used up by paying for care/help later in life. I can do everything for my self now, but increasing aches and pains are reminding me that I am mortal.
Again thanks. I feel now like I have some direction.
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.
This is what we did and makes it very simple for all parties. TOD or POD on your accounts. Happens right away with this method. Charities thanked us for the simplicity.
I have been putting this off forever, but I know I need to make a will. I will be a pretty simple one, leaving most of my assets (assuming anything is left) to charities and making some provision for the care of my dog--if she survives me. I'm not anywhere near wealthy, but I have a well-developed saving habit and may (or maybe not) be able to make a reasonable contribution to a couple of causes I believe in. And, there are relatives that I am not interested in enriching.
I doubt I need a sit down with an estate lawyer, but I've been looking a some of the online sites that say they will help with will and health directive preparation. I imagine they would be fairly inexpensive and adequate, but, I don't know anyone who has used an online site for this sort of thing. Or maybe there is some reason it is better to get an estate lawyer?
My question: have you used an online legal site to prepare a will? What was your experience?
A person who attempts to represent themselves in a legal matter--even preparing a will--has a fool for a client.
Getting an attorney to prepare a legal will is relatively inexpensive. I've often wondered why so many people try to avoid that $250 expense. It tells me much about them.
If a will is not properly prepared or witnessed it can easily be thrown out in most jurisdictions.
The one word of advice I can give you all is, if you want somebody to have a personal possession of yours, GIVE IT TO THEM WHILE YOU'RE ALIVE.
Don't make them wait, and jump thru hoops after you die. My father did this nonsense. He left a car (and my idiot brother a house and $$$$$).
A will and a trust are just pieces of paper. Trying to get them enforced is a different story. If my father would have given me the car six months before he died, (he stopped driving years ago) it would have been much easier than me dealing with my idiot brother to get it after he died.
Want xxxxxx to have xxxx? GIVE IT TO THEM NOW.
there can be lots of ramifications with giving stuff away . depending on how off the radar it is you can have everything from tax issues , medicaid issues if needed , law suit issues if someone you gave it to gets sued , divorce issues if it finds its way as a marital asset .....not a great idea ....
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