A Will is an Essential Part of
Your Estate Plan

Learn Why DIY Wills & Living Trusts Are Too Good to Be True

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A Will is an essential part of estate planning, but a Will is not always enough, especially do-it-yourself Wills. If you pass away with only a Will, your estate will go through probate, which can be quite costly for your heirs. Retaining an experienced estate attorney, such as Roy W. Litherland, allows you to draft a Will and create an estate tailored to your personal estate planning goals.

Do-It-Yourself Will Kits

Do-it-yourself Will kits provide some semblance of protection, but not enough. These kits do not take into consideration your personal circumstances. The kits often do not have a pour-over clause, which allows assets not placed into a Trust to be moved into the Trust upon your death or incapacitation.

Fees and Taxes

A do-it-yourself kit cannot plan for certain situations. Because of this, you may have assets that must be handled in a specific manner. If your Will or Trust does not provide for these special assets, your heirs may end up paying high fees to the probate court, estate attorneys and excess taxes. If other legal or technical points are left out of the estate plan, it could also cause assets to be distributed to the wrong people or at the wrong time.

Stressful Times

Your death or incapacitation is a stressful time for family and friends. With an experienced estate attorney drafting your Will and estate plan, that’s one less thing for your loved ones to worry about. They can concentrate on their personal feelings and caring for one another, rather than the financial ramifications of your death or incapacitation. While no one likes to think about death, it is better to be prepared for it, rather than leaving a potentially complicated estate administration to your family and friends.

Boilerplate Wills and Trusts

You may think that attorneys use boilerplate Wills and Trusts, but an experienced attorney such as Roy W. Litherland, does not. A good estate attorney will draft Wills and Trusts specific to your situation to ensure that your wishes are met and that your assets are distributed properly. A great estate plan also helps you avoid probate and ensures that your assets go to the people you want, not to creditors, ex-spouses, or the IRS.

Is a Will and Trust Enough?

Depending on your personal circumstances, a Will and Trust may not be enough. You may need additional documents to properly distribute certain assets. If you own property, own a business or a share in a business, want to disinherit a spouse or child, leave money to grandchildren, but not children, have retirement plans, etc., you may need additional documents to supplement a Will and trust.

How to Learn More About Estate Planning

Learn more about Wills in our free report, “Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Wills and Living Trusts.” Download this FREE report and learn:

  • The importance of preparing an effective Will
  • How a Will can benefit your special needs dependent
  • How you can contribute to charitable trusts while providing income to your heirs
  • And so much more

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