DIY wills have become common, but unfortunately this is not a good thing. While virtually everyone should have a will, trying to make one on your own without the right legal advice is a bad idea. In fact, DIY wills can actually be damaging to your interests because you may create your own will and assume your estate planning process is complete when your legacy really has not been protected at all. 
Instead of taking a chance on a Do-It-Yourself will, you should find an experienced Suffolk County estate planning lawyer who can give you proper legal advice. If you are concerned about the costs, you can find an attorney who charges a reasonable fee and who is sensitive to your budget- and you’ll find making the investment in legal advice can often save you and your family a lot of money later.
To find out more about why DIY wills are a bad idea and about the types of help you can get from an estate planning professional, it is a good idea to talk with an attorney. Mark S. Eghrari and Associates PLLC can provide you with details on what we can do to help you with the estate planning process. Give us a call today to learn more.
Why DIY Wills are a Bad Idea
The Rural Law Center of New York explains the process of writing a will. The guide to creating a last will in New York indicates that you are not required to have a lawyer. However, while you do not have to have a lawyer, it is almost always a bad idea to create DIY wills.
DIY wills are not a good idea for virtually anyone, no matter how few assets you have or what your situation is. You may think you don’t need professional legal advice if you don’t have a fortune to leave behind, but this is simply not true. You still have assets that you have worked to acquire, and you don’t want mistakes in a DIY will to prevent you from doing what you want with your money or property.
You may also think that you don’t need an attorney if you are pretty confident you can figure out the process of creating a will yourself. The reality, however, is that an estate planning lawyer does much more for you than just writing a document that specifies who should get your property. The legal advice you get is invaluable and the fact that an attorney can help you to avoid costly and damaging mistakes make it well worth it for everyone to be legally represented.
What a Suffolk County Estate Planning Attorney Can Do For You
A Suffolk County estate planning attorney can provide you with advice when you create a will, in addition to making sure that you fulfill the formal legal requirements in New York for will preparation.
When you use DIY wills, you don’t get the benefit of an attorney helping you to make sure that the will is comprehensive enough. If you get legal help, your lawyer can advise you on clauses that should be in your will- like a clause on guardianship for your kids or a no contest clause. Your attorney can also provide you with details on things like choosing an executor and ensuring your will is properly witnessed. Since every state has different laws and DIY wills often don’t address the differences, you could end up making a will that isn’t valid without this legal advice.
An estate planning attorney can also help you to understand whether there are better legal tools to help you achieve your goals for your assets and to protect your heirs.
Contact a Suffolk County Estate Planning Lawyer
With something as important as your loved one’s financial security and your legacy, there is no room for mistakes or half-measures. This is why DIY wills are not generally a good idea for anyone. Instead of trying to go it alone and potentially causing lots of headaches for your loved ones, you should contact Mark S. Eghrari and Associates for assistance.
Our legal team helps you to prepare a will and to take other estate planning steps that you need to protect your loved ones and your assets. To learn more about some of the steps which should potentially be a part of your planning process, download our estate planning checklist. You can also give us a call at (631) 265-0599 or contact us online to speak with a member of our legal team about the personalized advice we offer.
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