TANNER PITTMAN, LLC
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| TANNER PITTMAN, LLC |
"I lost over $140,000 because I had a will made out by legalzoom. I was the sole
beneficiary in the will but because all the assets were in bank accounts and CD's etc., I
received nothing. . . A VERY expensive education!"
- Gleaned from the web at www.complaintsboard.com
A skilled attorney is not cheap, and a do-it-yourself will may sound like a way to save
money. This is rarely the case. Using legalzoom.com or a form book may save you money
today but can cost your loved ones literally a fortune.
Help forming a plan. Online or pre-packaged services cannot properly advise you on how to
estate plan because the choices are simply too individual-specific. Consider:
• Should your property go to your spouse and children or simply your spouse? The
question is of great importance, and the answer depends on the size of your estate, your
children’s age, the presence (or not) of step-children, and numerous other factors.
• Should your stocks and investments be held jointly or only in one spouse’s name?
Getting the wrong answer to that question can cost your spouse or heirs thousands in
capital gains taxes.
• Should your executor be a spouse, a child, or perhaps a financial institution? Is the
cost of drawing up a trust worth the benefit? How should you properly title real estate? And
the list goes on.
These and other vital questions are not addressed by form services and are best trusted to
an experienced attorney.
A false sense of security. One danger of form services is that they can give a false sense
that your estate is well prepared, when in reality a legal nightmare awaits your heirs. An
experienced estate planning attorney will craft a plan that not only anticipates contingencies
but won’t be undone by changes in the law or changes in your family situation.
Will formalities and safekeeping. Even the best will is invalid if not signed properly by the
testator and at least two disinterested witnesses. It is also no use at all if your heirs can’t
find it. Hiring an attorney to prepare an estate plan means having a professional to oversee
signing and other formalities. It also means a safe repository of an original or conformed
copy of your will, trust, and/or attachments, keeping your valued documents safe for
decades.
Small costs now or huge loss later. As the above quotation illustrates, a mistake in estate
planning can cost your loved ones dearly. Improper titling of assets, mishandling of non-
probate property, and failure to tax plan are among the many failings of form-based services
that can cost a tremendous amount.
Attorney’s fees are quite small compared to such costs. At Tanner Pittman, LLC, an
experienced attorney will guide you through estate planning for a reasonable fee and
provide you the assurance your loved ones’ future is safe.
beneficiary in the will but because all the assets were in bank accounts and CD's etc., I
received nothing. . . A VERY expensive education!"
- Gleaned from the web at www.complaintsboard.com
A skilled attorney is not cheap, and a do-it-yourself will may sound like a way to save
money. This is rarely the case. Using legalzoom.com or a form book may save you money
today but can cost your loved ones literally a fortune.
Help forming a plan. Online or pre-packaged services cannot properly advise you on how to
estate plan because the choices are simply too individual-specific. Consider:
• Should your property go to your spouse and children or simply your spouse? The
question is of great importance, and the answer depends on the size of your estate, your
children’s age, the presence (or not) of step-children, and numerous other factors.
• Should your stocks and investments be held jointly or only in one spouse’s name?
Getting the wrong answer to that question can cost your spouse or heirs thousands in
capital gains taxes.
• Should your executor be a spouse, a child, or perhaps a financial institution? Is the
cost of drawing up a trust worth the benefit? How should you properly title real estate? And
the list goes on.
These and other vital questions are not addressed by form services and are best trusted to
an experienced attorney.
A false sense of security. One danger of form services is that they can give a false sense
that your estate is well prepared, when in reality a legal nightmare awaits your heirs. An
experienced estate planning attorney will craft a plan that not only anticipates contingencies
but won’t be undone by changes in the law or changes in your family situation.
Will formalities and safekeeping. Even the best will is invalid if not signed properly by the
testator and at least two disinterested witnesses. It is also no use at all if your heirs can’t
find it. Hiring an attorney to prepare an estate plan means having a professional to oversee
signing and other formalities. It also means a safe repository of an original or conformed
copy of your will, trust, and/or attachments, keeping your valued documents safe for
decades.
Small costs now or huge loss later. As the above quotation illustrates, a mistake in estate
planning can cost your loved ones dearly. Improper titling of assets, mishandling of non-
probate property, and failure to tax plan are among the many failings of form-based services
that can cost a tremendous amount.
Attorney’s fees are quite small compared to such costs. At Tanner Pittman, LLC, an
experienced attorney will guide you through estate planning for a reasonable fee and
provide you the assurance your loved ones’ future is safe.
| The Dangers of Do-it-Yourself Wills |