write your own will kits

Poststructural Pub
1

I’m wondering if anybody is familar with those “write your own will that will be valid in all 50 states” kits, and your opinions of them?

2

I don’t know, but I’m leaving my whistle collection to The Chiff and Fipple Whistle Trust Ltd.

Lord knows my family don’t want 'em.

3

Im leaving all my stuff to my hamster, Paprika :thumbsup:

4

Nevermind.

When I saw the title, I thought it said, “Knit your own kilts.”

Best wishes,
Jerry

5

I thought it said “write your own kilts” for a quarter of a second too. :laughing:

6

Here’s an excellent resource you might want to have a look at before, or in conjunction with, working on a “store-bought” form of will; it can help you choose between the various options, for starters:
http://www.nolo.com/lawcenter/index.cfm/catID/FD1795A9-8049-422C-9087838F86A2BC2B

It’s wise to consider this sort of thing early; it’s a crazy world, and you’re doing your family and loved ones a favor–at any age-- to do this. Oh, and don’t forget to also prepare advance directives and/or a health care power of attorney, while you’re at it.

7

We did one of the “store bought” wills for my wifes grandfather. Luckly, before he passed away we had a lawyer look at it. He had to re-write it for $150. It was worth the money. There weren’t any problems with the lawyers version and I could have forseen a few with the do-it-yourself will.

8

I was going to say the same thing.

Robin

9

So what was wrong with the store-bought version?
I thought all you had to write was that you were of sound mind and
you were leaving everything to your parakeet, etc.???
What else did the lawyers say it would be wise to add?
Lolly

10

:confused:
Do people who believe in reincarnation make wills?

Slan,
D.

11

I do not believe in reincarnation.

I don’t have much to leave people, but I also think preparing to die is always a good thing to do, at any age.

12

Uh, when parakeets are involved, it’s best to leave everything per chirpes. :wink:

But just to be complete, here’s this, excerpted from the Nolo resource above. The emphases are mine–in hopes of dodging flames from any lawyers on the board, but also because they are necessary. In the spirit of disclaimers–and it’s a poor discussion of any legal matter that doesn’t include several disclaimers-- :wink: let me add that Nolo’s list below of situations that warrant consulting a lawyer is by no means comprehensive. Hope this helps a little.

Do You Need a Lawyer to Make Your Will? Most people don’t. Here’s why. If you’re thinking about making your own will, you may feel a little uneasy about the process. After all, a will is an important legal document – shouldn’t you seek a lawyer’s help?

The answer depends on your situation. If you’re like most people, you won’t need a lawyer. With good self-help materials, it’s not difficult to make a will that takes care of basic concerns, such as leaving a home, investments, a small business and personal items to your loved ones. And if you have young children, you can use your will to name a guardian to take care of them, as well as someone to manage any property they inherit. You may be interested to know that when lawyers draft wills, they usually start with a standard form that contains the same types of clauses contained in most do-it-yourself wills. Most attorneys put their standard will form into a computer and have a secretary type in the client’s name, the names of the people the client wants his or her property to go to, and other basic information – exactly what you can do for yourself when you make your own will.

Making a will rarely involves complicated legal rules. In most states, if you’re married, your spouse has the right to claim a certain amount of your property after your death. If you leave your spouse at least half of your property, this won’t be an issue. And you need to sign and acknowledge your will in front of witnesses. But beyond these basic requirements, you may parcel out your property however you like, and you don’t have to use fancy language to do it. In short, if you know what you own, whom you care about, and you take a little time to use your self-help resources, you should be fine.
Don’t, however, rule out consulting a lawyer. In some situations a lawyer’s services are warranted. And you don’t necessarily have to turn over the whole project; you may just want to ask some questions and then finish making your own will. You may want to consult a lawyer if:

  • You have questions about your will or other options for leaving your property.
  • You expect to leave a very large amount of assets (say, over $1 million) and they may be subject to estate tax unless you engage in tax planning.
  • Rather than simply naming people to inherit your property, you want to make more complex plans – for example, leaving your house in trust to your spouse until he or she dies and then having it pass to your children from a previous marriage.
  • You are a small business owner and have questions as to the rights of surviving owners or your ownership share.
  • You must make arrangements for long-term care of a beneficiary – for example, setting up a trust for an incapacitated or disadvantaged child.
  • You fear someone will contest your will on grounds of fraud, or claim that you were unduly influenced or weren’t of sound mind when you signed it.
  • You wish to disinherit, or substantially disinherit, your spouse. It’s usually not possible to do this if your spouse objects, but a lawyer can explain your spouse’s rights.
    Also, some people simply feel more comfortable having a lawyer review their will, even though their situation has no apparent legal complications.