You’ve seen the commercials with OJ Simpson’s attorney telling you to go to a certain website, put in some information, and you can prepare your own estate planning documents with the click of a mouse. And I say – absolutely, go ahead and do that.
Why would I say that? Because, chances are very good that you will need my services when, at some point you or your family discovers the documents were prepared incorrectly, or you didn’t mean to write what you wrote, or you did not sign the documents correctly.  [pullquote_left] Every adult, no matter how much money they have, should at least have the basic documents in place. [/pullquote_left]
Estate Planning Documents are necessary.  Look at it this way – when you have a medical condition, do you try to diagnose yourself or do you go to the doctor? Well, most of us probably think we know what the problem is, but we usually go to the doctor to make sure we are correct and to get a proper diagnosis. In the same way, it is a good idea to meet with an estate planning attorney to review your financial information, your planning goals, and develop an estate plan that suits your needs. You don’t have to be a millionaire to do estate planning either – every adult, no matter how much money they have, should at least have the basic documents in place – a Will, Durable Power of Attorney and Living Will and Health Care Surrogate Designation.
Laurie Ohall is a Board Certified Florida Elder Law Attorney. To learn more about Florida Elder Law and issues affecting seniors, please contact the Law Offices of Laurie Ohall.