Creating a will is one of the most important steps you can take to safeguard your legacy and protect your loved ones after you pass away. At Warren & Migliaccio, we offer the option to create your will online using our Estate Plan Express service. It provides many advantages to traditional in-person visits to an attorney’s office, including convenience, accessibility, and affordability, as well as the management of your digital assets. Below, our Texas estate planning attorneys provide a complete guide on why a will is important and how to create a will online in Texas.
What Is a Will?
A will is a legal document that details how you want your property and assets to be distributed after you pass away. Assets can include money, your home or other real estate, personal belongings, and your credit cards. It allows you to designate beneficiaries or who should receive your assets, including real estate, and specify what each person should receive.
For parents, a will serves another critical benefit. It allows you to name a guardian for your minor children should something happen to both parents. By designating a guardian, you can ensure that your children are cared for by someone you trust.
When you create a will, you also choose an executor. The executor of your will, also known as the personal representative, is responsible for carrying out your wishes and managing your estate after you pass away.
Why Is Having a Will in Texas Important?
Having a will is beneficial for anyone who wishes to have a say in what happens after they are gone. You can use it to provide for and protect your loved ones and any family member who may be affected by your estate. By clearly outlining who should receive your possessions, from real estate to personal belongings, and who should be the guardian of your minor children, a valid will makes your intentions known and legally enforceable.
If you pass away without a will, known as dying intestate, the state decides how your assets are distributed. The state’s distribution of your assets may not reflect your family’s needs or your wishes. Similarly, if you do not have other documents in place to designate guardianship for your minor children, the court will decide that too.
How to Create Your Online Will in Texas
Warren & Migliaccio offers an affordable and convenient estate planning service for Texans called Estate Plan Express to create your will online. Estate Plan Express streamlines the process of creating a will. You can plan for the future from the comfort of your home and get the best online wills and estate planning documents in a fraction of the time it would traditionally take. Additionally, we offer flat fees, so you do not have to worry about hourly rates or hidden costs.
With Estate Plan Express, you get the convenience and affordability of an online service without sacrificing the quality and assurance that come with working with an experienced estate planning attorney. Writing your will without professional help can leave you vulnerable to errors that may make your will invalid and legally unenforceable. It could also lead to gaps in your estate plan, issues with trust administration, or disputes among family members if the language in your will is unclear.
Using Estate Plan Express, you get more than a last will and testament. Our Estate Plan Express service includes the following essential estate planning documents, including a living will:
- Last will and testament. Determine your beneficiaries and how your assets and property will be distributed after you pass away. Parents can also use a will to designate a guardian for minor children.
- Financial power of attorney. Designate one or more people you trust, such as a financial advisor, to make financial decisions and manage your financial affairs on your behalf if you cannot.
- Medical power of attorney. Select one or more people you trust to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unconscious or incapacitated.
- HIPAA release. Allow your loved one or people you trust to access your protected medical information.
Below, our Texas estate planning lawyers break down how you can create your online will using Estate Plan Express:
1. Submit Information
Start by creating and registering an account on our online estate planning portal. Once you create an account, you can access and complete our guided questionnaire.
The questionnaire only takes about 15 minutes to complete. It provides us with the personal information we need to complete your estate plan, such as your assets, beneficiaries, personal loans, and estate goals. Once completed, submit it for review.
2. Attorney Drafts Documents
After you submit your questionnaire, our Texas estate planning attorney will review it. Using the information you provide, our attorney will draft your will and supporting documents to meet your specific needs and goals.
3. Receive Documents
We will send you your prepared estate planning documents and legal forms through our online portal. Your documents will be ready for your signature and legal execution with a notary. In addition to your documents, we will send you instructions on how to legally execute them at your convenience.
4. Sign With a Notary
You should sign and execute your documents with a notary and witnesses. While some documents, like your will, do not need to be notarized under Texas law, we highly recommend it. Executing them with a notary can help reinforce their validity. We provide detailed instructions to guide you through this step.
5. Free Revisions for Six Months
As part of our Estate Plan Express service, we provide free document revisions for six months. However, revisions exclude converting to a different plan. When you need unlimited updates to your documents due to life changes or a change in circumstances, we can keep your estate plan current.
Get Started With Your Texas Estate Plan Today
Are you ready to create your will online in Texas? If so, visit our online will service website and register an account today. You can also check out our recent posts for additional information and updates on estate planning. Likewise, you can fill out and submit our user-friendly questionnaire in as little as 15 minutes.
Do you have questions about the estate planning process and how we can help? If so, do not hesitate to contact us for a free consultation. You can call us at (888) 584-9614 or contact us online, and we will reach out to you soon.
