Do You Need a Will? Make One Fast with an Online Will Maker

Today making your Last Will and Testament is easy and affordable as you can use an online will maker. These services are becoming increasingly popular as they are getting more sophisticated yet affordable. No one is ever completely safe from a tragedy or some emergency. Therefore, it’s essential to have legal documents like the will or medical power of attorney ready and within easy access of your loved ones. Online will makers can provide you with all necessary forms and ensure that the documents you draw up are 100% legal. The trick is to choose the right platform for you because they are many and each has its own pros and cons.

What Is an Online Will Maker and How Does It Compare to an Attorney?

An online will maker is a platform that helps you create a variety of documents for estate planning. The exact offering varies depending on the provider. However, the most basic setup usually includes:

• Last Will and Testament
• Living Trust
• Power of Attorney (medical, financial, etc.)
• Living Will
• Will Codicil
• Affidavit
• Revocation of Living Trust

Technically, your will in the US will be considered legal even if you write it yourself on a napkin, so long as it has a witness. However, considering how complex inheritance law is, there can be many complications with a will that’s not drafted by a professional. Therefore, if you want to be sure that everything is 100% legal, you will have to choose between an online will maker and an attorney. Both are good options, but they vastly differ in cost.

With an attorney, a will can cost you $300-$1,000, on average. An online will maker can allow you to make the basic set of documents for free, with the average paid service under $100. If you use a reliable online will making platform, you can be sure that all the documents will be perfectly legit.

However, it must be noted that these platforms have some limitations. They are not yet sophisticated enough for complex estate planning. Therefore, an online will maker is a service that can benefit people with a straightforward and simple estate. But if you need to include assets abroad or have a large fortune to manage, this type of service won’t be fit for you.

Bear in mind that complex estate planning is also a costly service with an attorney. Depending on the situation, creating your will in this case can cost well over $3,000.

Why Do You Need a Will and When to Make One?

It should never be a question of “do you need a will?” The answer to that is always “yes”, no matter how small and simple your estate might seem. However, surveys indicate that almost 70% of Americans currently do not have a will. The majority of those who do have some estate planning documents are from the Baby Boomers generation.

This is a matter of great concern because the recent pandemic highlighted how it’s never too early to have a will. It claimed the lives of more young people than any other disaster in recent history.

It’s also a common misconception that only the “rich and famous” need wills. Inheritance is never truly simple, no matter how it might appear to a non-legal professional. Therefore, everyone who wants to ensure that their wishes are followed after their passing should consider drawing up a last will and testament at the very least. This will ensure that your assets are divided the way you want them to. For people with children, they will be able to outline their custody. Also, having a will might help your loved ones avoid lengthy probate.

Please note that without a will your assets will be distributed following the state laws. This means that usually your spouse and children will be priority beneficiaries. However, there are many convoluted exceptions in these laws. Therefore, your family might end up losing a substantial part of the inheritance. The situation is even more complicated for unmarried people without children.

So, if you are still asking do you need a will, you certainly do, regardless of how old you are or what your current estate is. The good news is that it’s quite easy to find an online will maker that will meet your exact needs.

What to Look for in an Online Will Maker?

Online will makers are versatile but essentially, they are similar in their functionality. Basically, you need to register with the platform and create an account. Then, you will answer a simple online quiz with questions about your estate. The system will then use this information to fill out a form for the estate planning document of your choice. You can also get access to templates and make or make any corrections you need in completed forms. This is the kind of ease of use you should be looking for in these platforms.

Another important requirement for an online will maker is to provide 100% legitimate documents. You should look for platforms that work directly with lawyers from every state. They also need to keep up to date with any legal changes, which are quite frequent. The best online will makers today might include lawyer counseling in their services. However, this package will be more expensive.

Bottom Line: Choose the Right Online Will Maker for You

Drawing up your Last Will and Testament and arranging any other paperwork relevant for estate planning is not only something you should do when preparing for retirement. It’s a precaution everyone should have in place so that if the tragedy happens, you can still help your loved ones.

Today it’s easy to create all necessary documents using an online will maker. However, you need to remember that these platforms are extremely versatile. Therefore, you should research each option thoroughly to pick what’s best for you personally. It will be easier to do this when studying professional reviews you can find at onlinewillmakers.com. The review will highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of each leading platform and compare them. This means you’ll be able to save time on deep research and move on to drawing up the documents you need fast.

LivingBetter50 is a magazine for women over 50, offering an over 50 magazine free download for women with spirit!