Protecting Your Legacy

Estate planning: DIY trends may affect Texas residents

On Behalf of | Nov 18, 2016 | Estate Planning |

It is often important for individuals, including Texas residents, to make their families aware of end-of-life wishes. Estate planning may be a wise course of action for ensuring that those wishes are made known. However, if the plans are not created properly, surviving family members could face potential legal issues and even probate litigation.

One way in which estate problems could arise is if a will is drawn up incorrectly. This issue may become more prominent if individuals choose to make their wills on their own. Documents can often be found online and through other means, but if they are not properly formatted or have unclear language, the intentions may be skewed. In such events, will disputes could take place in hopes of determining the true meaning.

In some cases, a do-it-yourself will could also result in individuals being treated unfairly. A family member or other party who hopes to get more out of an estate could potentially take advantage of a vulnerable individual and have a will created that does not truly reflect the individual’s wants. If such an event occurs, the family may need to pursue litigation in hopes of having such a will deemed invalid. 

Though DIY trends are popular these days, there are some actions that may be better left to professionals. However, not everyone may feel this way, and as a result, some Texas residents could find themselves working to dispute wills or other estate planning documents that may not be entirely clear. If this type of predicament arises, interested individuals may wish to speak with experienced attorneys to determine how to go about divulging the true intentions behind a DIY will.

Source: lexology.com, “Do It Yourself Wills: Will They Lead to More Litigation?“, Will Sleeth, Nov. 7, 2016

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