• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • WHO WE ARE
    • About Our Firm
    • Attorney and Staff Profiles
    • News and Events
  • Areas We Serve
    • Essex County, MA
      • Andover
      • Beverly
      • North Andover
    • Hillsborough County, NH
      • Manchester
      • Nashua
    • Middlesex County, MA
      • Concord
      • Lexington
      • Wakefield
      • Winchester
      • Woburn
    • Rockingham County, NH
      • Exeter
      • Londonderry
      • Salem
  • Services
    • Asset & Business Planning
    • Elder Law & Medicaid Services
    • Estate And Gift Tax Figures
    • Family-Owned Businesses & Farms
    • Legacy Planning Services
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Loss Of A Loved One
    • Pet Planning
    • Power Of Attorney
    • Probate and Trust Administration
    • SECURE Act
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Young Families
  • Elder Law
    • Coping with Alzheimer’s
    • Hospice Care
    • Medicaid Planning
    • Nursing Home Planning
  • Resources
    • Elder Law
      • Elder Law & Medicaid Definitions
      • Elder law reports
      • Elder Law Resources
        • Elder Law Resources – Londonderry, New Hampshire
        • Elder Law Resources North Andover, Massachusetts
        • Nashua, New Hampshire Elder Law Resources
        • Woburn, MA Elder Law Resources
    • Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning Articles
      • Estate and Gift Tax Figures
      • Estate Planning Checkup
      • Estate Planning Definitions
      • Estate Planning Reports
        • Advanced Estate Planning
        • Basic Estate Planning
        • Estate Planning for Niches
        • Trust Administration
      • Incapacity Planning Definitions
      • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
      • Top 10 Estate and Legacy Planning Techniques
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Asset Protection Planning
      • Business Planning
      • Charitable Gifting
      • Estate Planning
      • Elder Law
      • Frequently Asked Questions for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid Planning
      • Trust Administration & Probate
      • Wills and Trusts
    • Medicaid Calculator
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Probate and Trust Administration
      • Bereavement Resources
      • How to Know if You Need Extra Help With Your Grieving
      • Loss Of A Loved One
      • Probate Resources
        • Nashua, New Hampshire Probate Resources
        • Probate Resources – Londonderry, New Hampshire
        • Probate Resources – North Andover, MA
        • Probate Resources – Wakefield, Massachusetts
        • Woburn, MA Probate Resources
      • The Mourner’s Bill of Rights
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Trust
      • Things You Need To Do When a Loved One Passes Away With a Will
      • Trust Administration & Probate Definitions
    • Published Books
  • Seminars
    • Live Seminars
    • Online Seminars
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us

DeBruyckere Law Offices, PC

Serving Southern New Hampshire & Essex Country, Massachussetts

Call us today(603) 894-4141

(978) 969-0331

Online Seminars
Attend Free Seminar
Home » Estate Planning » Do I Really Need an Estate Planning Attorney to Help Create My Will?

Do I Really Need an Estate Planning Attorney to Help Create My Will?

March 20, 2018Estate Planning

estate planning attorney

You probably already recognize the need to have at least a basic estate plan in place; however, like over half of all Americans you may not have gotten around to actually creating one yet. For most people, an estate plan starts with creating a Last Will and Testament. If you are ready to get started on your Will, you might be wondering if you really need an estate planning attorney to help you or if you can save some money by just going the “Do-It-Yourself” route. Although it may seem as though the DIY route can save you time and money, the reality is that creating a Will without the assistance of an attorney inevitably backfires when it comes time to actually probate your estate.

Your Last Will and Testament

A Last Will and Testament serves as the foundation for most estate plans because it allows you to accomplish the most basic of all estate planning goals. Your Will is effectively a roadmap for the distribution of your estate assets in the event of your death. By executing a Will, you ensure that your estate is not distributed according to the state intestate succession laws which typically distribute assets to close family members only. Executing a Will lets you decide who will receive your family heirlooms, personal property, and any other estate assets you own at the time of your death. In addition, when you execute a Will you appoint someone to be the Executor of your estate. Do not make the mistake of minimizing the importance of your Executor as he/she is the person who will be responsible for overseeing the administration of your estate during the probate process after you are gone. Finally, your Will allows you to do one other extremely important thing – nominate someone to be a Guardian for your minor children should one ever be needed.  In short, your Last Will and Testament will undoubtedly be one of the most important documents you create over the course of your life.

Why Do I Need an Estate Planning Attorney?

The pervasive nature of the internet, and our dependence on it as a society, may tempt you to try the DIY route when you get ready to create your Will. After all, you can find just about anything on the internet, including a wide variety of “Fill-in-the-blank” legal forms. The fact that these forms exist, however, does not mean it is a good idea to use them. There is simply no substitute for professional advice and guidance when it comes to something as important as your Will. Would you try and perform surgery on yourself without the assistance of a surgeon after watching a “how-to” video on the internet? Of course not. Why then, would you try and create your Will without the assistance of an experienced estate planning attorney?

The Risks of Going the DIY Route

Using a DIY form you found on the internet instead of working with an experienced estate planning attorney may save you some time and money now; however, it is very likely to cost your loved ones considerably more time and money down the road. A DIY Will is likely to be riddled with errors and omissions, include inaccurate or out of date information, and may not completely dispose of your entire estate. As you will no longer be around to explain vague or confusing provisions, nor to correct mistakes you may have made, in your Will, The end result is often the need for protracted, and costly, litigation that drains your estate of value and keeps your gifts out of the hands of your intended beneficiaries until the litigation reaches a conclusion. The only way to ensure that this does not happen to your estate after you are gone is to work with an experienced estate planning attorney when you create your estate plan.

Contact an Estate Planning Attorney

For more information, please sign up for one of our upcoming FREE seminars. If you have additional questions or concerns about creating your Last Will and Testament, contact the experienced estate planning attorneys at DeBruyckere Law Offices by calling (603) 894-4141 or (978) 969-0331 to schedule an appointment.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Daniel DeBruyckere
Daniel DeBruyckere
Attorney Daniel A. DeBruyckere has been practicing law in New Hampshire and Massachusetts since 1998, and has helped hundreds of clients with their estate planning and elder care issues. He is very well respected in the area of estate planning, probate, trust administration, elder law issues, and business planning.
Daniel DeBruyckere
Latest posts by Daniel DeBruyckere (see all)
  • Do I Need an Attorney to Administer a Trust? - January 26, 2023
  • How Using a Trust Can Protect a Valuable Inheritance - January 24, 2023
  • What Seniors Need to Know to Protect Assets - January 19, 2023

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Beverly estate planning attorney
Do We Need an Estate Plan If We Do Not Plan to Have Children?
Beverly estate planning attorneys
Am I Entitled to Social Security Based on My Spouse?
Beverly estate planning attorney
Make Reviewing Your Estate Plan Your New Year’s Resolution
Common Mistakes In Estate Planning 150x150
Common Mistakes in Estate Planning – Part III
Common Mistakes In Estate Planning 150x150
Common Mistakes in Estate Planning – IV
Beverly estate planning attorneys
15 Things to Do Following the Death of a Loved One

Download our free Estate Planning Worksheet

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram

Blog Subscribe

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Testimonials

DeBruyckere Law Offices, PC footer

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkdin
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
footer-logo

© 2023 DeBruyckere Law Offices
All Right Reseved.

Attorney Advertisement

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.