Will

[Tammy]

I need to update my will. Its a simple estate. Are there any online options that you are aware of? I'd rather pay a little and add a few tweaks to a cookie cutter will, than pay an attorney the big bucks.

[Yppej]

I tried to do a will myself and my signature had to be notarized. Notaries told me per state law only an attorney can notarize a will. Attorneys dominate my state legislature and have the system rigged in their favor. Your mileage/jurisdiction may vary.

[bae]

Nolo Press.

[bae]

I tried to do a will myself and my signature had to be notarized. Notaries told me per state law only an attorney can notarize a will.

That makes little sense, based on my understanding of the law. What state is this in?

(Possible issues that spring immediately to mind - wills don’t have to be notarized, generally, to be valid, in most states. They are typically *witnessed*, but even non-witnessed wills can be valid. A notary typically can’t notarize a signature in a matter i’m which they have any self-interest, so your own attorney likely couldn’t notarize a will he was complicit in drawing up. Etc.)

[Tammy]

Thanks

[Yppej]

Massachusetts does not recognize a self-proving will.

[iris lilies]

I need to update my will. Its a simple estate. Are there any online options that you are aware of? I'd rather pay a little and add a few tweaks to a cookie cutter will, than pay an attorney the big bucks.

Ok, I’ll bite. If you dont wish to pay an attorney, what are you gaining from a self made will?

Your state will have formulas for disbursing your assets. You have children, and lt is pretty likely the state will recognize them as inheritors. Perhaps other family members are in that formula. Why have a will at all?

[LDAHL]

Ok, I’ll bite. If you dont wish to pay an attorney, what are you gaining from a self made will?

Your state will have formulas for disbursing your assets. You have children, and lt is pretty likely the state will recognize them as inheritors. Perhaps other family members are in that formula. Why have a will at all?

What arrangements have you made for your dogs if they should be orphaned? I know of one family that battled over that.

[iris lilies]

What arrangements have you made for your dogs if they should be orphaned? I know of one family that battled over that.
Theoretically, I love it when families battle over who gets the pets. Yay for the pets! That assumes multiple people want them, and they will not end up in rescue.

But ok, I see your point but I wonder if a home grown will actually has real teeth for things like pets.

[Yppej]

The courts handled custody issues for a cat in the first lesbian divorce in Massachusetts so they can have jurisdiction in pet matters. I would think better to specify what you want than let lawyers get rich because you didn't, draining part of your estate.

[iris lilies]

The courts handled custody issues for a cat in the first lesbian divorce in Massachusetts so they can have jurisdiction in pet matters. I would think better to specify what you want than let lawyers get rich because you didn't, draining part of your estate.
But does a homemade will prevent lawyers fighting? I dont know, but I wouldnt make assumptions.

My friend spins talk about what she wants: friend B to live in her house until all of her pets die, then sell the house.

well, that is lovely but naive. There is a mortgage on my friends house. How does she think that will be paid? I am sure our state’s intestate laws call for my friend's assets to go to her brother. Will her brother honor her lovely
plan? I sincerely doubt it. Why would he agree to piss away the assets payong a mortgage so that dogs could live there for a decade?

If she really wants this complex plan to be successful she needs to work with an attorney.

[Lainey]

Thanks

Tammy,
as a former notary, one other thing people forget is that the notary cannot also be a witness. I believe AZ requires 2 witnesses, and many people assumed that as the notary, I would be one of the 2 witnesses. I learned to ask them to bring 2 people to witness their signature, neither of whom had any interest in any aspects of the will.

[funkynassau]

I'm in Ontario, Canada and bought a Will kit (a CD actually) at an office supply store. It was easy to fill out and had to be witnessed by someone who is not in the Will, so I picked my financial advisor. You can customize it how you like. Cost about $20. It is valid in Canada.

[Teacher Terry]

In our state paralegal can draw up wills. Once you both die the money could be split among your kids and others if you don’t have a will. We don’t want anyone other then our kids to have the money

[iris lilies]

We spent a lot of money having an attorney draw up a trust and will because we are without children. I wanted some of our money to go organizations, not our relatives. The attoney went down many rabbit trails and covered contingencies which I do not really care anout. For instance,
I do not care about the tax consequences of our inheritors. I dont care that if one of them is being sued, this trust keeps the money away from that situation. But hey, I got all of that coverage for the $$$ paid to our estate attorney. [insert eye roll.]

next time I update it I will remove the humans and give all of the money to a smaller number of charitable organizations. By that time there will be far less money, because we are spending it, and I tire of including all of our siblings and a couple of friends. They are all doing fine financially, anyway.

We are lucky to have 5 siblings who are healthy, active, and are solid tax paying citizens. None are in need.

[happystuff]

In addition to any will, I would also suggest talking to family and friends - involved in the will or not - about what you are doing, what you want, etc. The hope here is that if anyone has issue what your plans, there can be discussion and clarifications before you are gone instead of fighting after your death.