Best Will application

Douglas Jay Lineberry

I don't suggest commercially available software for preparing any estate plan documents (or any other legal documents). Hiring a lawyer means you get someone that has a legal education and has passed an exam that establishes a minimum level of legal proficiency and knowledge. Buying software means what? Well, that you spent $35 on a document that was prepared by some computer software programmer somewhere. In writing the software the programmer may or may not have consulted with an attorney; you'll never know. Would you buy software to learn how to perform surgery on yourself? Then why would you buy software to prepare legal documents yourself?

Benjamin Kirke Sanchez

You get what you pay for, so why leave such an important document to a general software or service. You should consult a Texas attorney to do this. Some estate planning attorneys will charge very little if the estate is simple without much assets.

Mark E. Biernath

Your question demonstrates a level of confusion which the software will not help you with. Are you looking for a "living will" which is a document through which you can express your desires regarding end of life treatment, such as withdrawing life sustaining or death delaying medical procedures if you are in a state of permanent unconsciousness. Or are you really asking about creating a "last will and testament" which disposes of your property upon death and assures court involvement with your estate, or are you interested in a "living trust", which can provide for the care and management of your estate if/when you become incapacitated, and dispose of your estate upon death, and can avoid involvement of the court. The answer to these questions is where you need to start, no software will be able to examine your paticular circumstances, review the assets in your estate, discuss with you your concerns for your family, and then make recomendations how to best meet your goals, explain those options to you to where you are comfortable you understand them, and then help you implement the options you choose. If you are simply looking for documents, they can be purchased, I have even heard of attorneys who charge very little for the actual document, but they charge more for the counseling and advice. If you are looking for peace of mind that your planning meets all of your concerns, then you may want to invest the time, money, and effort to have that peace of mind, not only for you, but also for your family. There is a reason why every box of software disclaims any liability and specifically instructs you to consult an attorney!