The truth is the closer your elderly parent gets to the end, the more likely they will have acquired things that need to be split among the family. This is when having a will for the family, or final wishes in written form, will be so crucial. You may be wondering if you or your elderly mom or dad can write wills without a lawyer. The answer is yes, but writing a will with a lawyer present may be easier, more helpful, and less challenging. Here is why your elderly loved one should hire a lawyer to write any family wills, now and in the future.
A Lawyer can Help Ensure Their Wishes are Followed
If your senior has specific instructions on what to do with certain property or items when they die, the will needs to be written in a specific way. Sometimes, if someone writes wills independently, the wording can be confusing and cause fights amongst children after they pass on. This can lead to court dates to try to figure out or change the will. To avoid all this, having a lawyer write a will in a very specific way will help everyone understand exactly who gets what and what happens to certain things when a senior mom or dad dies. When a lawyer writes a will, it is more likely to be followed without any wording mistakes or loopholes.
The Will can be Updated
Let’s say your elderly mom or dad has been to a lawyer, but their wills are out of date. That’s okay! The right lawyer can help your mom update any documents, including family wills. The best part is that it’s not expensive and will ensure your mom and dad’s wishes are honored before and after death. It does not take that long to update a will with the right lawyer present. Updating wills can seem like a battle, but keeping it up to date will help future heirs avoid any conflict with each other, which is so important.
You May Not Have Time
The truth is a lawyer has been to school and knows how to write a specific and exact will. As a senior, you may not have the time to learn how to write a will, and you may not have the energy or time to put everything into it. This is crucial when going to a professional because they already have a format they use and the background and knowledge to achieve your exact goal. You must find a lawyer that you trust enough to write your will, but it can save you a lot of headaches in the future. You will have the time to do other things when you hand this task off to a professional. It’s time to worry less and let someone else put in the hours to write wills.
Wills Written by Lawyers Will Have Less Mistakes
Hiring a professional will lead to fewer mistakes and less confusion. If a senior is struggling with memory or suffering from headaches, chronic pain, or anything else, it can be hard to sit and concentrate on what the wording a Will needs to have. Instead, having a lawyer write a will ensures that it will be accurate with no mistakes. Multiple people will proofread the wills a lawyer writes to avoid confusion.