The question of whether you can do estate planning yourself and whether you should are two different things. Yes, you can do estate planning yourself by using an online service such as LegalZoom. Should you do estate planning yourself? Not usually.
Why Can’t I Do Estate Planning Myself?
You can do pieces of estate planning by yourself, such as thinking about your wishes. Think about how you want your assets to pass. Think about who you would want to care for any minor children should something happen to both of their parents. Consider purchasing life insurance. Think about who you would want to act as your power of attorney.
What you can’t necessarily do by yourself is draft documents that will achieve those goals. Each state has different laws that need to be followed. Even more importantly, everyone has a different situation and the documents need to be drafted for your unique situation. Just because you may think there are many other people in your shoes, not all of those people will have the same wishes you do. For example, you cannot compare yourself to your next-door neighbor. Sure, you both may be the same age and have spouses the same age. You may both have a 10-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. However, you may have different goals for your family than they have for theirs. You may have different financial pictures, which would necessitate the need for different plans. You cannot compare your situation to someone else’s – you likely do not know the entire story!
It is because of the uniqueness of your situation that an attorney is needed to help you draft your estate plan. A local attorney will be able to give you advice based on your circumstances, listen to your goals, and draft the plan best set to achieve those goals given your situation.
Contact A Local Attorney
If you need a new estate plan, or need to revise your current estate plan, contact a local attorney today. At Wildoner Law, PLLC, we have flexible ways to meet with you and discuss your plan.