Do You Want the Form or an Attorney?

All you have to do is pick up a packet of forms, and you can get your own no fault divorce in record time. The same is true for wills. You can get the basics out there, signed, and stowed away without all that extra cost.

However, the decision to go without an attorney could cause you problems later on. Here are some situations in which you might want to hire one rather than try to rely on the forms.

Trusts

If you plan on leaving anything in a trust, then do not rely on will forms. These forms provide a great basis for simple matters, but they are not equipped to handle the legalities related to trusts. Trust law is one that requires specialization. Most states even have separate certifications that members of their bar can participate in to demonstrate their ability and knowledge. Even these individuals sometimes have to seek assistance from higher authorities to ensure that they are preparing the trusts correctly. This shouldn't scare you away from using trusts. They can be invaluable in your estate planning. What it does mean though is that you will need professional counsel to get the results you want.

Very Specific Bequests

If you have very specific or detailed bequests, then you will probably want to avoid will forms. Even the ones that come with software designed to let you provide more detail will not necessarily make things turn out the way that you want. This is particularly true if you have valuable collections that you are trying to split up. You will quickly run out of room or find that the slots in the program do not allow you to be as specific as describing each item in detail and indicating to whom it should go.

Potential Conflicts

If you are planning not to include a close family member but including everyone else, then you will also want to avoid will forms. These are not designed to handle the complicated family relationships that can sometimes develop. Additionally, there are certain key phrases and formations of language that the attorney can provide to ensure that the court does not determine your wording was just an oversight and you actually meant to include that individual.

The author is associated with legalzoom which is a prominent provider of legal advisory services including services such as filing bankruptcy, copyright, will forms and more to corporations and business houses. For more information, please visit http://www.legalzoom.com/