Estate planning attorneys want to assist clients. For this reason, some people may be skeptical when legal professionals advise against the utilization of do-it-yourself estate planning documents.
The reason why experienced estate planning attorneys, who have knowledge about the subject, don’t recommend going it alone is because they understand some of the hazards.
The above having been stated, even the skeptics should be swayed by evaluations that are coming from a highly respected and purely objective source.
Last year, Consumer Reports magazine tackled the subject of do-it-yourself estate planning. People who work for the magazine used worksheets that are offered by three major online retailers who sell generic legal documents to create last wills and trusts.
The staffers then enlisted three experienced law professors to look at the documents and share their opinions based on their professional expertise.
These professors found inherent flaws, including the possibility of including conflicting clauses. They said that the subject of the federal or state estate tax was largely overlooked.
After considering what the professors had to say, Consumer Reports stated that these do-it-yourself solutions might be better than nothing, but they are no substitute for a professionally prepared estate plan.
When you are engaged in the process of estate planning, you are undertaking a very profound endeavor. Everything you have accumulated and all of the sentimental possessions that you have are in play.
