Do I Need a Lawyer to Make a Last Will?
Do I Need a Lawyer to Make a Last Will?
Don't wait. The time will never be just right.
- Napoleon Hill
Spelling out and recording your final wishes doesn't have to involve expensive visits to a lawyer.
Newlyweds, new parents, homeowners, and even people without significant assets should write a will. What you own is yours and should go the loved ones or charities of your choice. At 12Law.com, you can create a legally binding
Last Will and Testament. Each state has different rules for wills, so all the legal products at 12Law.com are tailored to your state. The process is simple, a wizard will ask you questions in order to inventory your assets and specify your beneficiaries. You can even check out a free preview before you commit to purchasing the will.
You can also choose alternate beneficiaries, in case your first choice doesn't survive you. Spouses that have jointly owned assets will have these assets automatically become the property of the surviving co-owner beneficiaries and are generally not under the jurisdiction of a will. Retirement accounts and life insurance with specified beneficiaries are also outside the purview of a will. Most spouses typically must make separate wills to specify the disposition of individually owned assets.
Even workers living paycheck to paycheck should consider making a will, especially if they have young children. You can specify an adult guardian for children under age 18.
Any adult of sound mind is entitled to make a
Last Will and Testament. All it requires is that you date and sign the will and record signatures by at least two witnesses who must watch you sign the will, though they don't need to read it. In most states, the witnesses must be people who won't inherit anything under the will
You don't need to have your will notarized. You do not have to record or file your will with any government agency, although it can be recorded or filed in a few states. Simply keep your will in a safe, accessible place and be sure that your executor (the person you choose to wind up your affairs) knows where it is.
There is no requirement that a lawyer write a will, and most people do not need a lawyer's help to make a basic will -- one that leaves a home, investments, and personal items to your loved ones and names a guardian to take care of young children. You can create your own
Last Will and Testament at 12Law.com. However, if you have questions or there are complexities in your estate, you may prefer to get legal counsel by hiring a good lawyer.
Only you can decide if hiring a lawyer is right for you. Check out 12Law.com for listings of lawyers in your neighborhood.