There are lots of “do-it-yourself” Will programs floating around on the internet. You may be able to save legal fees by drafting your own Will – at least up front; but in the long run, the cost usually comes after you die when your family and the court are trying to figure out what your Will provisions actually mean. Family members may argue over the meaning of the terms in your Will, and you may not have taken various tax implications into account. You may inadvertently choose a form which contains verbiage that is not recognized in New York, resulting in unintended consequences.

Originally published in Lloyd Harbor Life, August 2018.