Please do not attempt to save money by drafting your own will, doing so may lead to a costly result.
If you write your own will, your estate may not be distributed as you planned. Below is an example of the type of error that can come from drafting your own will.
George Zeevering wanted his estate to go to only two of his five children. He drafted his will himself. The will gave his truck to his daughter Diane, and his summer property to his son, Wayne. Mr. Zeevering also wrote he was intentionally leaving out his other three children.
The issue was that the will did not specify what to do with the remainder of his estate (called a “residuary clause”), which totaled $217,000.00. While it was likely he intended the rest of his estate to go to his favorite children, he did not state that in the will. Without the residuary clause, the rest of the estate would be divided equally between his five children.
His children spend much more money in attorney fees than their father would have paid a lawyer to have done his will properly. Drafting your own will can save some money but may also lead to conflict and results you do not want.
If you need to draft a will, please contact our office.
