In today’s day and age, the internet can help you do just about everything much more quickly and efficiently. You can pay your bills, schedule appointments, and even shop for just about anything. However, not everything that can be done on the internet should be. One such task that should be left to the professionals is drafting your Estate Planning documents, especially your Will.

Internet Wills can be rather dangerous. They can be improperly made, thus rendering them invalid. Even more frightening, having such an invalid will, but not knowing that it is useless, can lure you into a false sense of security for the future. Here are some of the things that could be wrong with your Will if you use the internet to make it yourself:

Failure to Name an Executor

Some online Wills will focus solely on who receives your property once you pass on. However, for any probate to go smoothly, it is important for a person to be put in charge of your affairs. Therefore, ensuring that you have appointed someone to handle your Estate once you have passed is vital. Otherwise, family members may fight over who is to be in charge, and the process may become lengthy and painful.

Another issue could be failing to name a secondary executor. Life can be unpredictable, and it is not uncommon for an executor named in a will to be unwilling or unable to serve in that capacity once it is necessary. They might have even died by the time that you do. Therefore, naming someone else to handle your affairs ensures that even if your first choice is unable to do so, your probate will be handled more smoothly because there is a second option.

Failure to Name a Guardian

As a young parent, you don’t imagine that your children would ever need a guardian. It’s more likely that your children will all be adults by the time that you pass on, and that they won’t need anyone to care for them. However, it’s quite common to see parents who have not thought to name guardians for their children. When this happens, the Court will give them to the person they see as best fit, even if that person isn’t someone you would have chosen. To ensure that the people you believe would best care for your children are left in charge, it’s important to name a guardian.

Lack of Instruction for Care of Body

While it isn’t important to some people, many people feel very strongly about how their body be cared for after their death. Many are against cremation, while others have the same negative feelings about burial. Sometimes, family members might not know how you felt once you’ve passed on. They could even have opinions themselves about it that conflict. Therefore, in order to save them the struggle of figuring out your wishes or arguing to decide for you, it is better for everyone to include this in your

Improperly Witnessed or Unwitnessed Execution

Not everyone is aware that in order for a Will to be valid in the United States, it needs to be signed in the presence of a registered Notary. Even fewer people realize that often times if the will is not witnessed by two or more parties, that the Court could deem the Will invalid.

Overall, preparing your own Will can seem easy, but in reality it just gives you a false sense of security. With the amount of ways that a Will could be made wrong, the best option is to leave it to professionals.

Want more information on why Wills and other Estate Planning documents are important? Check out some of our other Blog posts:

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