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The risks of drafting your own will

On Behalf of | Jul 5, 2022 | Estate Administration & Probate |

You’ve taken the big step of addressing your estate plan and opted to draft a will. While this is very important and beneficial, it’s vital that estate planning documents are created in the appropriate manner. At the end of the day, they need to reflect your wishes and protect the inheritance of your loved ones.

You’ve noticed online that there is a bundle of DIY templates. Is drafting a will something that you should do on your own?

What about legal recourse?

You’ve browsed the templates online and finally picked one that you believe to be suitable. The trouble is that you’re not used to seeing legal documents every day, and this template has some flaws. In fact, the way it has been drafted could be deemed negligent. If a person had done this on your behalf, then you would potentially have legal recourse against them for their negligence. This becomes much more problematic when you have downloaded a template from an online store.

Will the will hold up legally?

Legal terminology and language are extremely important and online will templates tend to be generic. If your DIY will does not follow the specific laws of Oklahoma, then it will be deemed invalid. Ultimately, this means that it can be subject to challenges and your final wishes may never come to fruition. Is this really a risk that you can afford to take?

Seeking legal guidance as you make your estate plans will take a big weight off of your shoulders. This way, you’ll also be able to ensure that the inheritance of your loved ones stays in the appropriate hands.