Do It Yourself Will?

[CeciMami]

Ok...so I know that we should have a will...but we don't. : I'd like to do it as cheaply as possible since we have NO money and I am willing to do whatever work it takes on my part! I really can't put it off any longer since DS is about to turn two! : hey, at least we finally got life insurance for DH!

Does anyone have any suggestions of software or online sites that could help me do this? Something basic is fine, i just need to state who gets the money and who has custody of DS if something happens. I'm also curious as to how often people update their wills? Every year? Help!

[LionTigerBear]

We were gonna go with LegalZoom.com. It's $80 there I think, but if you leave the site they will send you an email offering a ten dollar discount.

Still kind of expensive for me though, so I am going to look for a "Wills for Dummies" type of book . . . don't know if it exists but I guess I'll find out!

[cupofjojo]

Originally Posted by LionTigerBear

so I am going to look for a "Wills for Dummies" type of book . . . don't know if it exists but I guess I'll find out!

I think its called Estate Planning for Dummies and there's also and Idiot's Guide to Estate Planning. It covers a lot more than just wills.

[SusannahM]

We got some software, the title was something like Family Lawyer, that was free with the inflated $5 shipping and handling. We modified it to suit our situation. Let's face it, as long as you have non-interested parties as witnesses to you signing it, and the wording is not ambiguous, then no one is going to be able to successfully contest it. Also, we know that all of the parties holding an interest in the will agreed with what we've done, so we're not too wooried about not spending big bucks on a lawyer.

[Belleweather]

Originally Posted by SusannahM

We got some software, the title was something like Family Lawyer, that was free with the inflated $5 shipping and handling. We modified it to suit our situation. Let's face it, as long as you have non-interested parties as witnesses to you signing it, and the wording is not ambiguous, then no one is going to be able to successfully contest it. Also, we know that all of the parties holding an interest in the will agreed with what we've done, so we're not too wooried about not spending big bucks on a lawyer.

This is not necessarily true. People often tend to go a little crazy when someone close to them has died, and the amount of litigation over wills would make your head spin. ESPECIALLY when custody of a minor child is in question. Whether they'll successfully contest it is another question, but you're opening yourself and the people who stand to take under your will up to a lot of expensive, drawn out and unneccessary litigation when you don't take the time to be sure you're doing it right.

AND, often when custody is contested the standard the judge uses to decide custody of minor children is the court's idea of what is in their best interests, not necessarily your wishes (since you're presumably dead, and unable to speak up about them).

If you absolutely MUST do your will yourself, please make sure you're doing a good job of it -- check and see if there is a state statutory form written by your legislature that you can use and then fill it in and DON'T ALTER IT!! This is the best, safest way to DIY a will.

[cupofjojo]

One thing to find out is if your state requires you to file it with them. In certain states if its not on file with the state, it can not only be contested but the state can become the exectutor and take an executor's fee in some cases 20%.

[Thalia]

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