Dear Liz: I have less than $5,000 in my savings account, a 12-year-old car and a mortgage with a $200,000 balance. I am 67 and can’t decide whether to make a will. I live alone and have no children. I have three siblings, but am only close to one. I hate to spend money on an attorney when I can use that money to cover funeral expenses. I’m leery of using an online will service. Can you recommend an inexpensive way to get my affairs in order?
Answer: Anyone who can afford to pay for estate planning help probably should. This is a complicated area, and it’s easy to make mistakes that can make settling your estate unnecessarily costly or difficult.
If you can’t afford to pay for help, though, there are low-cost and free options you can explore.
Start by creating an advanced directive, which details what kind of care you want should you become incapacitated and can’t speak for yourself. You can create one for free at PrepareForYourCare.org. Every adult should have an advance directive, also known as a health care power of attorney.
Another document every adult should have is a financial power of attorney, which allows another person to manage your finances if you’re incapacitated. You can create one at FreeWill.com, a site supported by nonprofit organizations. The site will also help you create a simple will for free.
LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer and Quicken Willmaker are other options that can help you create estate documents, typically for less than $100.
Leave a Comment