With the availability of information on the Internet these days, do you really need a lawyer to draft a will for you?   While you can certainly find sample wills on the web, only an experienced lawyer can help you make sure that you and your family are properly protected with adequate estate planning.  Let’s look at how the right attorney can use a last will and testament, testamentary trust, living trust, designation of guardianship, and financial and healthcare powers of attorney to make sure your assets and family are taken care of.

Simple will forms on the Internet may or may not address all of the issues you need to cover with proper estate planning.  There are statutory requirements for witness affidavits in Washington that, if not correctly drafted, can cause your will to be found invalid by a court.  If you are making provisions for minor children, there are requirements about the establishment of a testamentary trust.  Your will should contain the proper language regarding taxes, a bond for the personal representative, non-intervention powers and other technical and state-specific issues that an experienced attorney can ensure are done correctly.

Many people think that a simple will is enough to ensure their wishes are followed in the event something unfortunate and unexpected happens.  There are other documents that everyone should have in place, though.  If you are incapacitated and unable to make decisions for yourself, you need a durable power of attorney in place to handle both financial and healthcare situations.  A revocable power of attorney goes into effect only if you are incapable or incompetent to make decisions for yourself.  In the event you are unable to handle your own financial matters, including business decisions, access to bank or investment accounts, or the ability to transfer assets, a revocable power of attorney provides for a trusted person to be able to act on your behalf.  Likewise, a healthcare power of attorney document will allow for someone you trust to make healthcare decisions for you and to make sure that your wishes are followed.

A lot of people  think that hiring an attorney to draft these crucial documents is too expensive.  It is actually not as expensive as most people think.  The Green Law Office has very reasonable flat fee estate planning packages for individuals and families.  Contact us today to learn more about protecting your family.

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