The Risks of DIY Estate Planning

These days, information about many things is available online. You can find a YouTube video on just about any subject. But, while that is a good thing, there is a definite downside.

The wide availability of information has created a sort of false sense of confidence. Everyone thinks they are just a few clicks away from being an expert.

But, let’s say you have a sharp pain in your gut. Would you try to diagnose it yourself and perform your own surgery? Similarly, what if your tooth hurts. Would you try to do your own root canal?

The answer to both of the questions above is “Certainly not!” Some things in life are best left to the experts. Even the experts turn to other experts in certain situations. You won’t find a surgeon taking out his own gallbladder, or a dentist filling their own cavity.

However, for some, preparing estate planning documents has become a common do-it-yourself (DIY) project. Perhaps you know someone who has completed a Will, Power of Attorney, or even set up a Trust using documents they downloaded from the internet. Perhaps you have even done it yourself. But DIY estate planning comes with a good deal of risk.

DIY Estate Planning Comes With No Guarantees

It seems so easy — you simply download the estate planning forms, fill them out, get them notarized, and you are done. Then you relax, believing that you are covered. But are you really? Do you know what you are doing? Are you aware that so-called legal service websites do not offer much in the way of guarantees?

Most DIY estate planning forms come with a disclaimer saying that the providers are not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or a law firm, and that they cannot provide any kind of advice, explanation, opinion, or recommendation regarding the law. Why would an online service that sells legal documents have such a disclaimer?

Drafting your own estate planning documents is like trying to perform your own root canal with an instruction manual you have downloaded from the internet. Furthermore, imagine that manual containing a disclaimer saying that the provider is not a dentist or a substitute for an actual dentist.

There is No Such Thing as One-Size-Fits-All Estate Planning

If you are a single person, with one beneficiary and no property, DIY estate planning forms downloaded from the internet might work just fine for you. But, if your estate or life situation is more complicated than that, estate planning documents you can get online probably won’t be sufficient to cover your needs, and in adjusting them you may end up laying down an unexpected landmine which will only be discovered by future generations.

There is no such thing as one-size-fits-all estate planning. Ex-spouses, stepchildren, multiple beneficiaries, dependents with special needs, business transactions, and substantial assets are complicating factors that can make any sort of DIY estate planning a risky proposition.

Estate planning forms you download from the internet will rarely include the specific provisions necessary to ensure the successful protection and transfer of your assets after you pass away. Before you decide to do it yourself, ask yourself if the money you might save on legal fees will offset the potential costs, headaches, and family strife that can be created by innocent mistakes you might make. It’s no exaggeration to say that there are many times that we have saved people tens of thousands of dollars in the first five minutes of an introductory phone call with us.

Contact an Experienced Virginia Estate Planning Attorney

Engaging an attorney to prepare your estate documents may seem old-fashioned, but, in the end, the skill and expertise that comes with working with an experienced estate planning professional really matters. Call our law firm today at (703) 553-2577 or use the contact form to arrange a consultation with an experienced Virginia estate planning lawyer.

The information on this site is for general informational purposes only. The information presented in this site is not legal advice or a legal opinion. You should seek the advice of legal counsel of your choice before acting upon any of the information in this site.