Boise Probate Attorneys, Estate Planning Lawyers, Divorce Attorney, Criminal Lawyer, call (208) 472-2383 - probate, wills, estates, trusts, estate planning, divorce, custody, criminal law, DUI.
As a Boise Estate Planning Attorney I regularly get calls from people who want to know if they can write their will by themselves. People ask this not because they don't like attorneys (I hope) but because they want to save money. There are endless estate planning and will kits out there all which advertise that you can save money and do it yourself. The question really is do you want a computer program, which is only as good as the input given by the user, to plan your estate or write your will?
These programs are good enough, but it is user error that can mean the difference between your will being carried out or your will being thwarted. The programs ask a series of questions and you are supposed to fill in the appropriate box. How many times have you been confronted with this type of questionnaire and not known what to fill in or wished that there was a comment section so you could explain your answer? Herein lies the problem.
The programs sometimes don't know the complexity of the law and therefore the appropriate question cannot be asked. Divorce situations often trip up the program and the user. Disowned children also create huge problems that the estate planning software can't address. If you don't know the law it is highly possible that you may check the wrong box.
What happens if you check the wrong box and then you die? Your property may go to someone you don't want to have it or your estate may have to spend a huge amount of money trying to protect your assets. If you purchased the will or estate planning software for the express purpose of saving money, you may end up spending way more than if you had just had an attorney in the first place, especially if the probate is challenged and litigated.
The other problem is that only you know what you really want done with your property. If you had to check a box that didn't really fit what you wanted and then you die, when your will goes to probate how can the personal representative really do what you wanted?
So, as a Boise Estate Planning Attorney my best advice to you is make certain if you buy estate planning and will writing software and you have complicating issues like divorce or disowned children make certain you know what you are checking or if you don't or you are unsure, call an attorney.
To speak with a Boise Probate Attorney call (208) 472-2383 today.
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