Mark Reckman - Online Wills

You can go online and craft a Will for $100 or less – sometimes a lot less.AARP writes on this subject all the time. But they make it clear that onlineWills are only for the most basic circumstances.So, if you have a small estate and want to leave everything to your spouseand then to your kids, an online Will works – IF you fill it out and execute itcorrectly.But, what kinds of issues make online Wills risky?A. Minor childrenB. Second marriagesC. Medium size estates and largerD. Disability – of the testator or the beneficiaryE. Real estate in more than one stateF. Children with “issues” such as poor money skills, bad spouses,poor judgment, drug and alcohol abuse, big debt, bad healthG. Significant “non-probate” assetsH. Planning for one’s own disabilityI. “Legacy” assets, including family cottageJ. Family business.Beneficiary Designations.Executing a Will is only one part of an estate plan. You also need toconsider:A. Power of AttorneyB. Living WillC. Power of Attorney for Health CareD. Beneficiary designations.I have never met a client who didn’t believe his/her estate was simple– most were mistaken.