The “do-it-yourself” approach has been cropping up all over social media in recent years, usually presented as hobbies and money-saving hacks. The fun side of DIY may look like hand-knitted scarves, homemade soaps, and upcycled clothing, but the other side is riddled with botched plumbing jobs and sketchy electrical work. In other words, there are some things you should never DIY—and estate planning is one of them.
The first thing to understand about DIY estate planning is that, on a simpler level, it’s similar to those home improvement jobs you should never tackle without a professional. For example, a DIY roof repair may seem like a cheap alternative to your local contractor, but it comes with a caveat. If you don’t do the job exactly right, you risk compromising your roof, letting in leaks, and eventually paying for a whole host of other repairs you never expected to need. Because estate planning is not quite so simple, the leaks can be difficult to catch—and the damage can cost your family much more than you ever planned to pay for a good attorney.
You may have heard of online DIY legal services. They provide you with blank legal forms that you can use to create a quick will or other estate planning document. These forms are supposed to be cheap and easy to use, but in reality, they’re anything but. It’s all too easy for a layperson to make a mistake. You might end up misreading the instructions or using the wrong legal terms, causing repercussions you never intended—or you might simply create a document that’s invalid or ineffective. Because estate planning documents typically kick in after your death, you may not even know the extent of your mistakes until it’s too late. Instead, your family and friends will be stuck with the consequences.
Aside from the potential for mistakes, DIY legal forms are one-size-fits-all documents. They don’t take your personal needs, or your unique situation, into account. You may have specific healthcare wishes, children with special needs, or an estate large enough to owe federal estate taxes. An attorney can leverage many different estate planning strategies to accommodate your needs and maximize what you leave behind for your loved ones. You may pay a smaller one-time fee with DIY, but there’s no replacement for the value you get from qualified legal counsel.
Many DIY legal websites are barred from providing legal advice and no website is a member of the Attorney Bar Associations. That’s because their services are really no substitute for those of a knowledgeable attorney. The lawyers at Estate & Long Term Care Group can create an estate plan that’s perfectly tailored to your circumstances, your wishes, and your goals. Call us to get dedicated support throughout the estate planning process. We will take care to minimize your legal risks, save your loved ones from future stress and expense, and protect the legacy you leave behind.
Written by ELTC Law Group
