There are many online will services, but it takes careful skills to choose the right one for what you need. It is vital for anyone to create an online will and ensure properties are safe after death. Moreover, you want to ensure that your assets are distributed the exact way you would have them in your wishes. This principle always remains accurate, no matter the level or value of your help.
The next question is whether you need a lawyer’s services to complete the will. Or can you create and validate an online will that remains acceptable and usable? Let us first look at the specific benefits of using online will services.
How do online will services work?
Online will creation encompasses different services that one may need to navigate through. Some platforms integrate software into their site, and you input your data into the software. In the end, you get a produced format according to the information you supplied. In other cases, you get to access an online form to fill and input all the essential information as requested.
Moreover, these forms are very simplified in that you can complete them with little or no guidance. Another way to create an online will is to use the DIY approach. Here, you will need to download software that will guide you through the process. You can also download the last will/testament when you have finished using the software to create the needed will.
See also: Typical Contents of an Online Will Template
Is an online will differ from a traditional will created by an attorney?
Many people have reservations about creating an online will because they feel it is less efficient than a traditional will. But that cannot be farther from the truth. Because as long as your online will complies with the state laws, it is also valid. So, it is not the hands that write or prepare the will that validate it. Rather, it is its compliance with the laws of the land. Therefore, an online will carries the same weight as anyone created by an attorney.
Can anyone create an online will?
As good an idea as creating an online will is, other conditions make you eligible for creating a will. You should create an online will if your asset is worth less than the estate tax limit. The limit may apply to both state and federal laws. At the same time, it is also suitable for those with a straightforward estate. However, if your property estate is subject to estate tax, you may first need to get a lawyer’s professional advice.
Moreover, your case is less straightforward when you have step-children or remarriage with a new spouse. As a result, you need to use some provisions for such complications so as not to fail the legal test. Other cases may include having properties in different states, or being subject to foreign laws. It may even include running a small business. You can also solicit with an attorney if you suspect someone may want to contest your will after your death. As a result, you will need to prepare ahead of this possibility.
Advantages of creating an online will
1. It saves time and cost
A significant benefit of using an online will is that it saves costs and is cheaper than an attorney’s costs. The charges of an attorney also require that you spend time drafting the contents of your will. And while doing so, you need to consider every possible factor that can affect the will. But in an online environment, you can save that time and money. Even if you cannot finish the draft of your will at once, you can always return to it and finish it.
In addition, you can easily finish the project within 30 minutes or less when you create an online will. When you involve an attorney, you will need more than a session to complete the document preparation. At least, you wait to draw up a meeting and take time to wait before you have the final copy.
2. It is more comfortable
One may feel relatively more comfortable when you prepare your will online. On the other hand, not everyone feels delighted discussing personal and private matters with another person. That reservation even occurs with an attorney. As regards filing, your online will needs to get to the local probate court to validate it. This process makes your online will into a public record. If you would still like to retain the privacy of your will, you should consider using a living trust instead. With a living trust for your property, it does not have to undergo probate to be validated for use.
3. Your decision on online wills
What the law says matters a great deal when you are about to decide on online wills. Remember also that these laws may vary from one state to another. In such a case, it demands that you understand what applies in your case. The chosen online platform may use downloadable or non-downloadable software, forms, questionnaires, or other templates. But your final output will determine the validity of the online will.
After printing and signing your online will, go ahead and produce copies and keep them in safe places. Only the executor needs access to where all your will copies are retained, except you need a secondary executor. A secondary or backup executor stands in place of your executor if the latter is not available for will execution. The executor or the backup must know where the online will is kept. Otherwise, it cannot be executed.
Conclusion
Finally, remember that a will or testament comes alive when the testator dies and assumes full power. So, it is not enough to create the will and keep it safely out of reach. You also need to update it from time to time if need be. For instance, you may give birth to more children or make provision for grandchildren. You may also want to update it regarding new marriages, divorce, births or deaths. When you reopen the will, remember to finalize it so that the last copy becomes valid.