Did you make your own will or did someone do it for you?

belle204

nft

Rebekah1021

We just did a basic one at legalzoom.com until we can meet with a lawyer about a  more detailed one.

NG2HD

DH and I are both attorneys, and we are actually going to use someone I refer my clients to - notice how I said we're going to - yup.  Haven't done it yet

true_norskie

I answered this about a week ago.  We used a lawyer because we wanted to make sure we covered everything...but mostly because we needed that motivation to actually sit down, answer all the questions that needed answers and take it to completion. 

https://community.thebump.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/54765272.aspx

My BIL has been working on his for several years on his own.  He gets to a point where he has a question and then sets it aside.  I mean, he's not the most motivated person to start with.  He's got great intentions and he's a smart guy, just lacks the follow-through.

It was nice to sit with an attorney who knew answers as soon as questions came up and had thoughtful advice for us.

Good luck!

 

Heidisean

We went to a lawyer to have written up!

mikeandmonica

We went to a lawyer to do it because we wanted to make sure we thought of EVERYTHING and we were thinking that it wouldn't be as easy to fight over if anyone decided to fight in the end.  I'm glad that it is there and ready if anything were to happen to us. 

belle204

Thanks. I suppose I should stop putting it off.

ridesbuttons

Lawyer.  With kids it is important that things are right.

EMT

Belle, assuming your estate is pretty simple (ours is), you do not need to get/pay for an attorney. I bet your employer may even offer a free will service. Mine did. I'm sure it is pretty similar to legal zoom. Easy and free other than the cost to notarize.

I'm not an attorney but I am in a similar field and work with attorneys all the time. I'm not sure that I agree that you are safer going with an attorney. Attorneys make mistakes all.the.time especially when they are acting outside of their expertise. Honestly what you would pay them would not be peanuts to you but would be to them as far as how much time they can spend. Documents on legalzoom etc. are checked and re-checked for accuracy and should be completely sufficient for an easy estate.

Bride2b2004

I am an attorney and I have done wills for clients.  In many simple cases, I think people can do wills themselves with a good form.  I am also a CPA and I have to say, IMO, the average tax return can offer more pitfalls & challenges (doesn't help they change the law every year).  If you have the money, an attorney can only help.  Yes (in response to a PP), they can make mistakes too, but usually they have a well reviewed form and know the questions to ask/things to drop in and I would have a hard time believing an experienced attn'y would screw up a simple will.  But if it isn't in the budget, a good form would serve you well.  

One thing I would NOT do (nobody suggested this, but I see it all the time) is do your own will and then have an attorney look it over.  Most attorneys are particular about the language they like to see/use and they can use their own form, dropping in your particular facts, quicker (=cheaper) than they can review/edit another document.

EMT

Bride2b2004:

I am an attorney and I have done wills for clients.  In many simple cases, I think people can do wills themselves with a good form.  I am also a CPA and I have to say, IMO, the average tax return can offer more pitfalls & challenges (doesn't help they change the law every year).  If you have the money, an attorney can only help.  Yes (in response to a PP), they can make mistakes too, but usually they have a well reviewed form and know the questions to ask/things to drop in and I would have a hard time believing an experienced attn'y would screw up a simple will.  But if it isn't in the budget, a good form would serve you well.

Then I guess that the ones that I work with just need to retire because I've certainly seen them screw up simple things. Agreed that as long as she has a good form, she should be okay and AGREED on a simple tax return being more difficult.

Bellisimo

We used the attorneys that I once worked for.   But ours was fairly involved regarding custody/guardianship issues (I wanted it split among our families) and the division of assets and funds....we didn't want the kids to have access to a lump sum at a young age...it's spread out over three or four different disbursements when they're much older.