Should I Create My Will On My Own?

 Posted on August 30, 2013 in Estate Planning

If you're looking to save money and have been persuaded by commercials and internet ads that a will you write yourself or using an online service is just as good as one written by a lawyer, don't be fooled by the advertising. Although purchasing an online service is a step up from writing the will on your own, it's a small step that could have serious ramifications if anything regarding your estate planning extends beyond the simplest form. A study from Consumer Reports involved individuals obtaining three different types of DIY documents from legal drafting services and found that unintended consequences are perhaps the biggest downfall of skipping the visit to your DuPage County estate planning attorney's office.

One of the biggest appeals of these online services is that they appear to steer you through questions or interviews that seem to be "personalizing" the will to your needs. If you are not familiar with legal terminology or the tax consequences of structuring something a particular way, however, you can end up doing a disservice to your beneficiaries or articulating estate planning wishes that you did not actually want. According to the experts who reviewed these planning services, making mistakes is all too simple to do. Some individuals who seek out these services might learn before it's too late that their will does not actually say what they think it says, leading them to an attorney's office anyway.

The final downside is that these services are not specialized to your jurisdiction and therefore don't reflect any specific rules or laws that might govern the area where you live. That can cause problems after you have passed away, and can generate disputes between beneficiaries. Working with an experienced Illinois estate planning attorney is critical for setting up your will properly. The process is efficient and accurate, so you leave your attorney's office with the peace of mind that life after you pass away will proceed in the manner in which you have planned.