We know how much people today in Glen Carbon, IL enjoy doing things themselves. Whether it’s remodeling a bathroom or writing a book, people tend to like to learn how to do things and try them on their own. However, things like your estate planning should not be done by yourself. There are many reasons why you should not mess around with your estate plan by yourself, and we have included several reasons why.
Estate Planning is Probably More Complex Than You Think
It is easy to believe that your estate is modest when you compare it to others with larger ones. However, there is a chance that you haven’t accounted for some assets and obligations. Even if you do not own a whole lot, depending on the nature of your assets, it may be more complicated than you think. An example would be during the course of your employment at a prior job, you may have received shares of company stock or enrolled in a retirement investment account. These types of assets are easily overlooked by people who do estate planning by themselves. This is why contacting an attorney is important.
Unforeseen Circumstances
When you utilize DIY estate planning documents, they may look fairly simple and easy to understand. Say that you decided to use one of these documents and leave your estate to your spouse using a few signatures on the form. However, what will happen if you and your spouse get a divorce? What if you passed away before the divorce was finalized? If your estate plan does not account for the possibility of things like this happening, then you essentially do not have a proper plan.
Estate Planning & How Minor Details Matter
The most important reason for you to use an attorney is that they will take care of the minor details. However this can actually be very important. Even if you know exactly what you want to do with your estate. If the documents are not properly signed, witnessed, and executed properly, they will be invalid or not legally binding. Similarly, if your documents contain directions that are conflicting- an example would be a trust and a will that both bequeath the same asset to two different beneficiaries- your family may be faced with legal challenges and delays after your death.
While doing it yourself works for some situations, when it comes to estate planning you need to utilize the resources of a trusted attorney. If you need an attorney that specializes in Estate Planning, give our team at Action Law Center a call today!
