People who start to feel as though it is time to take estate planning seriously will generally begin by doing some research on the Internet. Now that we live in the digital age you can indeed absorb a lot of information quickly and efficiently, but of course you have to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff. This is certainly the case when you start to look into the topic of estate planning because there is some very good information out there, but there are also some websites that have a self-serving agenda.
There are Internet marketers who would have you believe that estate planning is as easy as filling in the blanks on a generic template document. This is simply not the case because for one thing, there are many different documents that you may want to utilize and the best combination is going to vary depending on the specifics of your estate. When it comes to a last will, most would agree that these do-it-yourself kits are sorely lacking.
Your will must pass through the process of probate, and this is when the probate court will determine its validity. Each state has its own specific guidelines, and these one-size-fits-all documents are not created with any particular jurisdiction in mind. Probate can be time-consuming, and it provides disgruntled parties a forum within which they could challenge your wishes if they so desire. So it is very important to execute an ironclad last will that is impermeable to those who would seek to contest your wishes.
You want your will to be drawn up by someone who has made a career out of working with the probate court in your area on a daily basis, not an anonymous Internet marketer from who-knows-where. Plus, once you pass away the executor of your estate is going to have to negotiate his or her way through the probate process. A probate attorney can provide the necessary guidance, and when he or she was the one who originally constructed the last will the matter is greatly simplified and a smooth transfer of assets will be the result.
- “Last Will and Testament” Origin - April 1, 2021
- Do I Need a “Durable” Power of Attorney? - April 2, 2020
- Joint Tenancy Pros and Cons - March 31, 2020
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.