Is it worth it to do your own will

[kally]

or should you have a notary do it. I am in BC Canada and just made wills with my dh a long time ago. They need to be updated. Is there something on line that is good or is it not worth the risk? Thanks

[Meezer_Mom]

Property laws between nations, like those between US states, can be very different. And, at base, wills come under property.

That said, wills generally don't need to be updated unless there has been a material change to the testator's property or desires. That is, is there new, specific property that is not addressed in some form by the original will? Or has there been another child? Or a divorce or death of a legatee, or even a named administrator?

If the answer is "no", why update? They are not like drivers licenses that need renewal every few years. If yes, then can it be updated merely with a codicil? Codicils generally require all the witnesses mandated by your state for a full will. Unless you are comfortable with your state's requirements, consult with a local lawyer noting that codicils are shorter, ergo cheaper, to draft and witness.

[ToomuchStuff]

No idea of what is required in your country.
Are there online forms that are correct to your country? Do you have a reason to change it, or can it just be updated in some simple way?

[kally]

there are online forms. We have wills from 18 years back that we just did as a form. We could do it that way. Just not sure.

[iris lilies]

We are making a will with an attorney for the first time. In fact, today we spend this snowy day doing some of the legwork. I put it off for years, knowing that it required lots of detail work on our end and I didnt want to do that while I was still working. This isn't the kind of thng that DH will drive forward, it is up to me.

Our attorney said it will cost $2,000 - $2,500 plus filing fees. That amount is fine with me.

I am not saying that all wills require legwork, but the method we chose requires a certain amount of it. We are setting up a trust since that seems to be the best way to accmplish what we want to happen. I. The U.S. trusts are common these days.

Personally, if I had any concern about it being done "right" I would work with an attorney.

[kally]

about $200 each. I think that would be well worth it. we will go with the notary. thanks for your advice

[TVRodriguez]

I'm an estate planning attorney. I've seen many many "form" wills done DIY over my 17 years of practice. I've never seen one done correctly. State/local laws matter a lot. In some jurisdictions, handling the transfer of assets at death is simple and straightforward, especially if you have a single marriage with kids in common. In other places, it's always a long expensive hassle. You don't want to find out too late which type of jurisdiction you live in.

Setting up an estate plan with an experienced attorney in my area and most major metropolitan areas will cost between $2500 - $4500 for a plan, which will take several weeks to complete. A probate estate will cost easily $6000 -12,000 and take 12 to 18 months if there are no complications.

Hassle and cost now to get things set up how you want them, or hassle and likely greater cost after you've gone and things go the way the law decides. Choose your own adventure.

[kally]

thanks