Issue Date: September 7, 2003
Will power
You don't need a lawyer to bequeath your worldly goods.
You may not be so rich that hordes are lining up waiting for you to croak, but you probably have something worth accounting for: a home, a car, jewelry, children. Time was, if you had enough valuable possessions that you were worried about who'd inherit them, you had a family lawyer draw up a will. But according to some estimates, 70% of American adults today don't have a will.
If you're among them, perhaps you fear the legal costs, which can run anywhere from $300 to $1,000. In that case, you'll be relieved to learn there are several Web sites where you can customize a will quickly and easily. You don't even have to speak to a lawyer.
At Buildawill.com, you'll find helpful answers to questions such as, What is probate? Drafting your will begins with an interview much like the one a lawyer would conduct (except you do the typing) and takes about 30 minutes. This is not some hurried note jotted as the ocean liner takes a nose dive; it's a carefully considered will with your particular needs in mind. Still have a few details to work out? Nothing is set in stone until you pay your $19.95. Then you can download the will right away in Adobe Acrobat format. Or at Legacywriter.com, take a similar interview and, for the same price, download your will in a format you can edit on a word processor.
Another option is to have someone experienced look over your answers to make sure you're not giving away 150% of your assets. To have someone proofread your will, go to Legalzoom.com. For $55, a live person will check over your decisions (and typing) and call you if there are any problems. A printed will is mailed to you.
No one enjoys contemplating his own mortality, but at least this way it doesn't take long or cost much.
-- Christina Wood
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