topic Re: about getting wills done???? in Among Friends

about getting wills done????

wagirl — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:17:59 GMT

So have any of you drawn up your wills from an online place like Legal Zoom or is a lawyer the way to go?

Re: about getting wills done????

Group 5 minus 1 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:25:07 GMT

No,we our attorney do ours.

Re: about getting wills done????

chrystaltree — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:30:21 GMT

Our attorney did our wills.

Re: about getting wills done????

Hooty — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:31:47 GMT

My husband is an attorney and he did mine, but remember if you do online, you have to have your signature witnessed at the time of signing!

Re: about getting wills done????

Forbidden Fruit — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:37:58 GMT

Get a good lawyer. A typical "mom and pop" will is not that hard or expensive. It doesn't matter what you have or how much you have of it--when someone dies, the vultures start to circle. Sad but true and it happens even in the "best of families."

Yes, the more complex the estate holdings (business owner, land, etc.) the more complex the will. A more complex will costs more but it's worth it. Hope everything works out for you.

esRe: about getting wills done????

Winkk — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:57:07 GMT

I used LegalZoom and they did a great job. It was straight forward with nothing fancy. I also got my Power of Attorney and Healthcare Directive. I had to get everything notarized but that's not a big deal. And it was a lot cheaper.

Re: about getting wills done????

CelticCrafter — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 21:59:27 GMT

I've read that some people have had problems when they went to probate a will done with Legal Zoom. I think it may have been on one of these forums that I read it.

Re: about getting wills done????

BirkiLady — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:00:59 GMT

@wagirl There is more than just a Will involved. Have an attorney draw up all legal documents needed (i.e. Will, Living Will, POA, DNR (if desired), funeral/memorial arrangements, etc. as well as information on Trust, Trust Funds, and anything else that may be pertinent to your estate. It's worth the time invested.

Re: about getting wills done????

jlkz — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:12:31 GMT

Definitely a lawyer is the way to go, esp. if you are leaving cash, stock, property, etc. should one of you heirs pass first, the spouse or “ step “ spouse can create problems that you don’t want to happen, e.g. their children by a prior marriage may get the benefits of your estate.

A good lawyer can address other issues which you never saw possibly happening.

My DH is a lawyer and the horror stories are heartbreaking. Save a few dollars now.....may not be worth it if it causes your heirs to lose what you want them to have, or their future children.

Re: about getting wills done????

Goldengate8361 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:13:25 GMT

@Winkk That's good to know. I want to use Legal Zoom, but I was unsure....I appreciate hearing about your positive experience with using their services.

Re: about getting wills done????

bootsanne — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:18:43 GMT

I'd suggest a lawyer, just not mine!!!! Basic will last year. 30 minutes, $350. I had it revised a month ago. 20 minutes, $325 Just an average person, no "estate".

Re: about getting wills done????

Mom2Dogs — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:32:00 GMT

We had our lawyer do the will, power of attorney and medical power of attorney. The did not charge much but our 'stuff' is very simple. I think the price is low so that we go back to him to settle up the estate, when the 'time' comes.

Re: about getting wills done????

Mz iMac — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:34:19 GMT

If you are a senior citizen, your county should have an office that does wills for FREE! Attys do this pro bono.

Once I turned 50, I went down to my local municiple bldg & had one drawn up.

My mother originally went through a lawyer. When she wanted to make changes, she went to the municiple bldg & had the same lawyer.

Re: about getting wills done????

amyb — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:41:02 GMT

Following this thread, as I'm interested and curious about peoples' experience with legal zoom vs. lawyers.

Re: about getting wills done????

haddon9 — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 22:43:16 GMT

My brother gave it to us as a holiday gift a few years ago. He looked up attorneys locally to me and got in touch with one of them letting him know that he wanted to purchase a basic will for me.

When I got around to calling them over the winter to go in person to have the will drawn up the paralegal knew right away who we were...in all the years he's been practicing no one has every given a will as a gift!

Re: about getting wills done????

itsmagic — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 23:37:32 GMT

We felt more confident using an attorney for our estate planning documents.

Re: about getting wills done????

RedTop — Wed, 01 Aug 2018 23:46:17 GMT

I would not trust this important document to anyone but an attorney.

A relative of mine scrambled to get a will done after a diagnosis of terminal cancer. A cousin of mine helped this aunt create a legal document, and our aunt died thinking her last wishes would be honored.

Wrong. The will that was probated and is on record at the courthouse is not the will my aunt signed. My cousin, may he still be burning in Hell, paid someone to change the 2nd page of his mothers will where she left personal items of hers and my grandma's to 3 nieces, me included. The revised version listed him as the sole heir,and then he sold everything that wasn't nailed down.

Had the will been drawn up by a lawyer, my cousin could not have gotten away with revising that middle page.

Re: about getting wills done????

NYC Susan — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 00:28:45 GMT

@itsmagic wrote:
We felt more confident using an attorney for our estate planning documents.

I agree.

State laws vary, and I wanted everything done right, with no potential problems later. My POA, Health Care Directive, and Will were done by an attorney a few years ago. I'm considering making some changes, and will go back to him rather than do anything on my own. For me, that's the best way to have peace of mind:

Re: about getting wills done????

Big Sister — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 01:42:34 GMT

If you hire an attorney to set up your Will, etc., make sure he/she is specialized in Estate Planning. Try to get references from friends.

Re: about getting wills done????

pigletsmom — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 01:43:15 GMT

If it's fairly simple I think Legal Zoom would be ok.

Otherwise if you have a Law School around you they usually will help. And not to be morbid but if you do have a school around but aren't sure where to get info on it your local hospice can probably help direct you.