DIY wills are documents created by individuals to distribute their assets after death. They are advertised as a convenient and legally binding option, but legal authorities advise against them due to their inability to consider local laws. Online wills are becoming popular, but local laws can still undermine their effectiveness. DIY wills can provide a foundation for people to consider their wishes, but should be reviewed by an attorney to meet legal standards.
Also known as a will and testament kit, DIY wills are documents drawn up by individuals and contain their wishes for the distribution of their possessions and assets once they pass away. Do-it-yourself wills are often advertised as a convenient means of establishing a legally binding document that allows for the orderly transfer of the deceased’s property to its beneficiaries. However, many legal authorities advise against the use of these will kits, usually due to the kit’s lack of ability to consider fine points of local law that may be important in drafting this type of document.
Companies that produce and sell do-it-yourself wills often include basic standards that contain simple language that is broadly applicable to legal documents. These boilerplates are usually accompanied by instructions on how to insert specific provisions into the body of the document, creating what appears to be a perfectly readable will and testament. Many of these kits also contain suggestions on what to include, as well as some questions about issues that should be reviewed before drafting the will.
DIY wills have been around for several decades. In recent years, online wills have become a popular alternative to submitting a printed version of your will kit. In some cases, these online wills are provided free of charge. The goal of these free wills is usually to get people who feel they can’t afford to pay an attorney to draw up a binding will and will to leave a type of document that makes their ultimate wishes clear.
Unfortunately, there are several factors that can undermine the effectiveness of even the most well-crafted DIY. You have to deal with local laws that have to do with collecting taxes or setting up trusts. While a model will can be used to cover most federal matters relating to wills, they cannot address issues that can vary slightly from one local jurisdiction to another. This leaves open the possibility that self-made wills drafted using resources from another jurisdiction may not be considered valid in another area of the country.
While DIY wills may not be the complete answer, these kits can often pave the way for people to get their affairs in order and come out with a legally binding will. Many of these kits can provide the foundation that gets people thinking about what they want to do with their belongings after they’re gone. From this perspective, it is very possible to use the template in one of these kits to create a basic document which can then be reviewed by an attorney and be used as a resource for drafting a will that meets local legal standards.
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