Just as a custom-tailored suit fits better than one off the rack, a custom-tailored estate plan works better for families. Making sure assets pass to the right person is more likely to occur when documents are created just for you, advises the article “Tailoring estate to specific needs leads to better plans” from the Cleveland Jewish News.
The most obvious example is a family with a special needs member. Generic estate planning documents typically will not suit that family’s estate planning the way a personalized plan will.
Every state has its own laws about distributing property and money owned by a person at their death in cases where people don’t have a will. Relying on state law instead of a will is a risky move that can lead to people you may not even know inheriting your entire estate.
In the absence of an estate plan, the probate court makes decisions about who will administer the estate and the distribution of property. Without a named executor, the court will appoint a local attorney to take on this responsibility. An appointed attorney who has never met the decedent and doesn’t know the family won’t have the insights to follow the decedent’s wishes as they intended.
The same risks can occur with online will templates. Their use often results in families needing to retain an estate planning attorney to fix the mistakes caused by their use. Online wills may not be valid in your state or may lead to unintended consequences. Saving a few dollars now could end up costing your family thousands to clean up the mess.
Downfalls of a generic estate plan
Estate plans are different for each person because every person and every family are different. Estate plan templates may not account for any of your wishes.
Generic plans are very limited whereas a personalized estate plan takes family dynamics into consideration.
Generic estate plans also don’t reflect the complicated families of today. Some people have family members they do not want to inherit anything. Disinheriting someone successfully is not as easy as leaving them out of the will or leaving them a small token amount.
Ensuring that your wishes are followed and that your will is not easily challenged takes the special skills of an experienced estate planning attorney.
Reference: Cleveland Jewish News (Dec. 9, 2020) “Tailoring estate to specific needs leads to better plans”
