Category: Living Wills/Advance Directives

Why you should not draft a Will online

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There are many websites where you can draft your Will, but do you really know what you are getting? Always remember, you get what you pay for.

Before you have some website create important Estate Planning documents for you, consider the following:

1. Generic Documents. Many of the sites offer generic documents that are intended to be a “one size fits all”. When it comes to estate planning, this is not the time for you to try on a “one size fits all” document. You may have very specific needs that cannot be addressed in the generic document. What if you want to leave someone out of your will? What if you want to leave a specific item to someone? What if you want to make sure if a child predeceases you that your grandchild gets their share? These documents are often templates and may or may not allow you to address your questions and concerns.

2. Every state has different legal requirements. Each states has its own tax inheritance laws, as well as certain requirements to make a valid Will. Are you confident that the generic forms cover your state’s requirements? In Indiana, you must be 18 years old, of sound mind and the Will must be signed by two disinterested witnesses. The website does not offer you witnesses to sign your Will, so even when you are done printing there are still steps to be followed to make sure the Will is valid.

3. Consulting an attorney? Many of these sites do not have an attorney walking you through the process, or even offer to have an attorney contact you before drafting your documents. If you have questions there is little guidance. Often you will even find a disclaimer that this is not to be considered legal advice. Who will you ask the important questions of what can I and what can’t I put in a Will? Or how do leave or specifically not leave someone, something? What is best you, based on your current martial, familiar, or financial situation? There are various types of of Wills and Trusts, depending on your specific needs that you should consider before choosing a Will.

4. Making changes. Many times your Will is not retained by the website and any changes you may want to make requires you to start over. Before you make those changes, are they even necessary? The website will not be able to advise you on whether changes are necessary or not.

5. You retain your own Will. Sounds great, right? What happens if you spill your morning coffee on the file you just safely placed your Will in? What happens if you have a fire? Or the safe with your Will was just stolen? Your original Will is now gone and cannot be replaced. You will have to go online and start over, and probably pay the cost again to recreate it. Most courts require the original Will, not a copy in order to probate it. As a courtesy to our client’s, we retain your original Will in a fire proof safe, and you are welcome to it at any time.

6. Other essential Estate Planning documents. Along with a Will, do you have a Power of Attorney? Did you know a Will only kicks in after death? What if you or your significant other becomes incapacitated? Who will make your, financial and medical decisions? These are documents we strongly suggest everyone have. See if the website you are one explains the need for a Power of Attorney and that there are different types, financial and health care. An experienced attorney can explain each of these to you and when and how they may come into play, so you may make an informed decision on whether you need them or not.

We are experienced attorneys at Perry Law Office and offer free phone consultations. We will happily walk you through the process and answer all of your questions and resolve any of your issues. We then draft your Estate Planning documents to fit your individual needs. We, at Perry Law Office, will explain the various documents that everyone should have along with a valid Will.

Wills, Financial Power of Attorneys, Health Care Power of Attorneys, and Living Wills, are important documents and choosing the right combination of estate planning documents can be daunting. Do you need all of these? Maybe. Let’s talk about it and decide what is the appropriate for your current needs. There are also reasons that arise that would cause you to update your plan, and you should be reviewing it with every major life change. Since our attorneys have been working with you from the beginning, they will help you make changes to your plan with ease and advise you on whether an updated Will or Power of Attorney is necessary for you.

Perry Law Office, your local Fort Wayne attorneys. Call us today, 260-483-3110

Do you know these key Estate and Probate terms?

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Planning your estate or dealing with an estate of a loved one after they have passed could have your head swimming with “legal terminology”. We at, Perry Law Office, understand that this process can be daunting and sometimes flat out confusing. Some of these terms and phrases may be familiar to you, while others may be completely foreign. Here are few key terms that you may come across:

Administration: The process of opening an estate with the court and distributing assets.

Assets: Anything that is owned! Property, vehicles, cash, bank accounts, jewelry, antiques are all assets.

Beneficiaries: Person(s), organization or charity that will receive the assets of the deceased

Creditors: Anyone the decedent owed money

Deceased or Decedent: Person who has passed away

Durable Power of Attorney- also known as a POA or power of attorney, a document that gives someone else the power to act on your behalf to make certain financial decisions or it can also appoint a Health Care Representative to make medical decisions on your behalf when you are unable to.

Estate: Everything left by an individual at their death, including assets and debts

Executor: The person(s) named to wrap up a decedent’s affairs and distribute the assets. Commonly known as Personal Representative in Indiana

Fiduciary: Person having the legal duty to act primarily for another’s benefit. Implies great confidence and trust, and a high degree of good faith. Usually associated with a trustee, but
personal representatives also have the legal duty to properly administer the estate.

Grantor: The person who sets up or creates the trust. The person whose trust it is. Also called creator, settlor, trustor, donor or trustmaker.

Irrevocable Trust: A trust that cannot be changed (revoked) or cancelled once it is set up. Opposite of revocable trust.

Intestate: passing without a Will. State laws will determine how the assets are distributed, not the wishes of the deceased.

Living Trust: A written legal document that creates an entity to which you transfer ownership of your assets. Contains your instructions for managing your assets during your lifetime and for
their distribution upon your incapacity or death. Avoids probate at death and court control of assets at incapacity. Also called a revocable inter vivos trust. A trust created during one’s lifetime.

Living Will: A written document that states you intentions to have life prolonging measures taken or your wish not to be kept alive by artificial means when the illness or injury is terminal. The name is a bit misleading as it has nothing to do with your Last Will and Testament.

Per Capita: A way of distributing your estate so that your surviving descendants will share equally, regardless of their generation. I.e. there are four siblings that were to share equally in quarters, one sibling passes and now the three surviving siblings share in thirds.

Per Stirpes: A way of distributing your estate so that your descendants and their heirs share the pre-deceased descendants portion of the estate. If one of your beneficiaries passes before you, then their children would take their share. I.e. there are four siblings that were to share equally in quarters, one sibling passes, and the sibling that passes has two children. The three siblings still each get a quarter, and the two children share the last quarter. Good way to give something to grandchildren if their parent’s have passed.

Personal Property: Includes items that can be moved, like clothing, jewelry, money, and vehicles. (for land or real estate see Real Property)

Personal Representative: The person(s) named to wrap up deceased’s affairs and distribute the assets. You may have heard this called an executor or administrator.

Power of attorney: A document you sign giving authority for someone else to act on your behalf. Could be financial, healthcare, or even for a limited purpose such as purchasing property for you in your absence. To survive incapacity you must have a Durable Power of Attorney.

Probate: The legal process of validating a Will with the court and wrapping up affairs of the deceased.

Real Property: Land, houses/homes, or other buildings

Revocable Trust: A trust set up in which the person setting it up can change or cancel it. This is a good way to avoid probate.

Testate: Person who dies with a Will

Trust: An entity that holds assets for the benefit of certain other persons or entities.

Will: A written document providing instructions for distributing your assets and estate. You can make it vague/simple (equally to my children) or as detailed as you like (gun collection to my son Jim, my 1965 Chevy Camera to my daughter Sarah, etc). This is also called Last Will and Testament.

Let the attorneys at Perry Law Office, help you through this maze of legal terminology and confusion. We are here to help. Give us a call at 260-483-3110 and ask to speak with one of our knowledgeable attorneys today. As always, there is a free consultation.

What is a Advance Directive?

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Have you ever gone to the hospital for a procedure, even a minor one, and been asked if you have a Living Will, an Advance (Medical) Directive or a Power of Attorney?

If you were unsure or your answer was “maybe” or “I think so”, you probably need to contact an attorney to discuss your estate planning needs. An Advance Directive, Healthcare Directive, Medical Directive, Advance Medical Directives, or a Living Will are all generally described as the same thing. Actually, the term “Advance Directive” means a written document or statement of a person’s wishes regarding medical treatment to ensure those wishes are carried out should the person be unable to communicate with a doctor or medical provider. A Living Will is one of the most common forms of Advance Directives and many people consider Advance Directives and Living Will as one and the same. However, an Advance Directive could also including a Durable Power of Attorney appointing a Health Care Representative (Durable Health Care Power of Attorney). Today we are focusing on the Living Will or Advance Medical Directives.

If you have ever been to a hospital for yourself or a loved one, you may have seen folded pamphlets at check-in that say Advance Medical Directives or Living Will. And in most cases, if you are getting a procedure done you have been asked if you have one of these documents. The reason the hospital, doctor, or medical provider wants you have one as part of your estate plan is quite obvious, they want to know what YOU medically want done in case the worse or unexpected happens. This is a simple but important document that you should have. However, simply having a Living Will or Advance Directive does not fully ensure your wishes will be carried out to their fullest as these are generally limited to life-prolonging procedures. A Living Will tells your doctor and family that if you are near death with no hope of recovery, whether you DO or DO NOT want to receive medical treatment that will prolong the dying process. It will state whether you want to die naturally and NOT be put on a ventilator, receive artificially supplied nutrition and hydration, OR that you DO want to be put on a ventilator and DO want to receive artificially supplied nutrition and hydration, even if the effort to sustain life is futile or excessively burdensome to you.

In a Living Will you have 3 options that you may choose from: (1) Receive artificially supplied nutrition, etc; (2) Do NOT receive artificially supplied nutrition, etc; OR (3) I intentionally leave the decision to my Healthcare Representative (Durable Health Care Power of Attorney).

As I stated above a Living Will or Advance Directive may NOT fully ensure your wishes are carried out. If you are unable to communicate, BUT are not in need of artificially supplied nutrition, who will make your medical decisions for you? A loved one, even a spouse at times are not allowed to make certain decisions on your behalf without a Durable Power of Attorney Appointing a Health Care Representative (Health Care Power of Attorney). This is where a having a Durable Power of Attorney Appointing a Health Care Representative is important and necessary. A properly appointed Health Care Representative (Healthcare Representative) can make these decisions for you including life-prolonging decisions. However, a Living Will is limited to only life-prolonging decisions and does not state what other types of treatments you may want or do not want.

You should contact an experienced attorney to discuss your options before you go have a procedure done, no matter how small.

Call Perry Law Office today to talk to one of our attorneys to discuss what is the best option for you and your family.

Perry Law Office, P.C.
260-483-3110
www.perryoffice.net