A: Yes, you can! However, will your DIY plan work when you are gone? The American Bar Association has a very informative and eloquent response to this question in their article about DIY estate planning. According to the article, “A Will must meet requirements for probate, properly make dispositions of the estate, address the payment of debts, taxes and other obligations, appoint fiduciaries to administer the estate and potentially guardians for minor children and achieve all of that without creating litigation or hostility among the beneficiaries. A person who drafts his own Will must bear in mind that the critical test of his efforts will occur after his death. At that point, his voice has been forever silenced. If he does prepare his Will on his own, it’s likely that no one — or at least no person who is not seen as biased due to his financial interest in the outcome — will be able to explain his intentions.” In short, you can write a Will without a lawyer, but we strongly advise that you seek the expertise of an experienced estate planning attorney.
Click here to read the full article: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/real_property_trust_estate/resources/estate_planning/diy_estate_planning/
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to reach out to us (707-681-5851 or [email protected]) or set up a complimentary consultation at your convenience by clicking on the following link: https://MyNapaLawyer.as.me/