WILLS LAWYER

Advantages of Hiring a Wills Lawyer

Having an experienced lawyer draft your will can buy you some peace of mind as you will not have to struggle writing the will. A good lawyer can ensure that the will comply with the state laws, and provides the best tax advantages possible for your heirs and estate, and accounts for the particulars in your specific circumstances.
In short, you will feel more assured and satisfied that the document made will stand up in court even if it is contested, and that all of your wishes will be carried out as desired.

When to Hire a wills Lawyer

There are circumstances in which hiring a good lawyer to draft the will on your behalf is the least risky option. You should hire an experienced lawyer if you have large assets in multiple states or countries, have been remarried, have minor children, or you are in a same-sex relationship, own a small business, or if you own your own home. Anyone with assets which are worth over $500,000 or anyone who believes that their will might be contested should really call our office right away to get things in order. An experienced lawyer may also be a very good idea if you do not understand the forms you may have bought or believe that the forms do not meet your specific needs. We have seen many legal court battles and disasters happen from using forms.

No Advantage of Making Your Will by Yourself

Some believe that the main benefit of drafting a will yourself is the cost incurred will be very little. But in the end, doing it yourself is like doing dental work on yourself. If you’re not a dentist, you shouldn’t do it. Depending on your estate, lawyers can generally charge between two thousand dollars to just a few hundred of dollars to draft a will and estate plan. However, the price of a “do it yourself” online will programs generally cost between 50 dollars and 250 dollars. Save yourself the headache and call our office so you don’t mess it up on accident.

Things to Consider for your Last Will and Testament

If you decide to write a will without the help of a lawyer, make sure that you carefully study all of the Utah Code to make sure that your drafting it right. In the end, it should take you a month or two or research on all the applicable state laws, particularly with respect to the spousal inheritance laws, the signing of the will and any requirements relating to the witness. For example, you’ll also want to make sure you have a notary public present. Without a notary, things can get messy later. Additionally, you should write all of your wishes as clearly as possible because the slightest ambiguity in a will can render it invalid. If you are going to use an online program to make a draft of your will, make sure you read all the instructions carefully and follow all of them to the letter. Some of these online programs will advise you to have a lawyer review all of your documents after you have prepared the draft, you should. This will give you additional peace of mind while still saving you money.

Conclusion

It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Legal problems come to everyone. Whether it’s your son who gets in a car wreck, your uncle who loses his job and needs to file for bankruptcy, your sister’s brother who’s getting divorced, or a grandparent that passes away without a will -all of us have legal issues and questions that arise. So when you have a law question, call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you!