you might even be able to get a paralegal to do the will for way under $1K.
Uh, no. Not unless the paralegal wants to open themselves up to criminal and civil liability for practicing law without a license.
Connie, LegalZoom is a good choice. Or shop rates for an attorney. Get powers of attorney, durable medical powers of attorney, and living wills prepared too. Trust me on this. Rob died without a will, and I don't have a power of attorney. It's been a mess. He does not have a ridiculously complicated estate, but it's going to cost me $1,000+ to get through intestate probate. I have an attorney doing the hard stuff, but I'm handling a lot of things on my own. If he handled everything, I'd be paying double.
Oh, and without a will, people will end up in the line of inheritance regardless of the individual's wishes. I am entitled to the first $15,000 of his estate, but only half of the remainder. Because he had no children, but his parents survived him, they are entitled to the remaining 50% above $15,000. I don't begrudge them this, but it was not expected.
Second degree murder: [link]
oops! well then. thanks for the clarification.
No worries, le n. Even though paralegals have legal training, everything they do must be supervised by a licensed attorney. The same goes for law students.
I'm just a fanatic about this right now. Outside of Rob's actual death, his dying without a will is the absolute most stressful thing to me right now. It causes no small amount of anger, even though I *know* he didn't intend for it to be this way.
I'm an overweight smoker. According to all the handwringing literature, I died 5 years ago.
You're an awfully pretty zombie.
President Barack Obama injected himself into the debate, urging Americans to "do some soul-searching." `'If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon," Obama said March 23.
If he answered the question asked at a press conference, has he really injected himself into a debate?
Maria, thank you for mentioning the living will and medical power of attorney portions, I forgot that that is something I may well have to have in the future. He has a daughter from a previous marriage who has kids. There is very rare communication, but she is there and has a legal impact. At the very, very least "Everything to my wife" should do to go on. I think there may actually be papers at the hospital that say I get to say what happens.
I'm an overweight smoker. According to all the handwringing literature, I died 5 years ago.
Not accepting this, since you are, in fact, all alive and stuff.
I'm just a fanatic about this right now.
It's worth being fanatical about, Maria.
she is there and has a legal impact.
Without a will, she is entitled to 50% of his estate (based upon common examples of intestate succession. I don't know specifics for Utah.). If she passes before him, her children are entitled to her 50%.
At the very, very least "Everything to my wife" should do to go on.
Yes, but he should also make provisions if you should go before him. "I leave everything to my wife, Connie Neil, but if she predeceases me, I leave everything to the Utah Cat Rescue League." If he doesn't want his daughter or her heirs to have anything under any circumstances, it should be explicitly spelled out. "I leave nothing to daughter and/or her heirs and assigns."
I think there may actually be papers at the hospital that say I get to say what happens.
You should verify that. Or she can assert herself as his daughter. Then you may end up in court in a Terry Schiavo situation. (Worst case scenario--I am in no way implying that it's going to happen.)
