Kind of grim, but... making a will...

Nothing bad is happening but I need to make sure my DD winds up in the right (sane) hands if something does happen to me and DH.

For those who made a will...

How did you do it?  Did you get a lawyer?  How much did it cost?

 You know, it sounds like a morbid thing to do when you really start to think about doing one but then you realize it can save a lot of heartache in the end.  Russ and I started ours back before we went on our honeymoon and have yet to sign and record it with the county.  We bought a general form from an office supply store.  Then you can just fill it out, sign it (possibly get it notarized) and then find out the best way to make it official.  See if the county records them some how that way it is available to everyone in the event something were to happen.

We even had a long talk when Libby was a few months old as to who she would go to if something were to happen to both of us.  It was an interesting talk but we went through all of our closest family and both agreed upon who would get her and then who was 2nd in line in case the 1st couldn't or wouldn't take her.  We then had a chat with those people to make sure they were okay with our decision and then put it in our paperwork.  It is amazing how many other people thing about this stuff.  Russ' little brother and wife would get Libby first, and they actually had been talking about the same thing and chose us for their daughter (6 months older than Libby) as the 1st to take her.  Then my little brother was next and they, again, had been talking right before that about use taking their daughter (5 months younger than Libby).  We have a world full of babies around us, it is crazy!

We downloaded ours from a legal forms site. I've had one since Alex was a baby and he was all I had to leave in the world, but Hubby and I have rewritten it since his deployment in 2004 and Nikolas' birth.

It's not grim. It's smart.

Angie

Thanks!  Do you remember the site?

It was legalzoom.com. I was worried about it being contested too because we are heavily insured and Dave's Mom would cause trouble about the boys. So, we had JAG look it over. There was a "no contest" clause in it and we had to have it notarized. Believe me, if it wasn't solid, I would go have an attourney do it. In the past, Dave had them done before deployments(by the military) and they are very simplistic compared to this one. 

I believe that Staples, Office Max etc... carry software to create your own. The thing that zipped our up was the notary.

HTH,
Angie

Went went to a lawyer because we wanted to make sure there was minimal ways it could be contested. We had to create within our will two scenarios...we had no children where all our estate would go and then if we did have children how everything is to be handled. 

We named an executor of our estate and a back up executor. Then, we had a trustee over any money for minors separate from who the guardian was. We didn't want someone to have access to the money and to the child(ren) because they might not being doing the best for the child. Also, there was one person we didn't want to contest our will if we didn't name them in our will so our attorney stated we name them in our will stating that we leave them nothing as they have been provided for in their lifetime.  

It is smart and a necessary thing in today's world to have a will.

Good luck,
Traci

We did ours in March after my friend passed away and I am the executor of her will.  I realized how much one is def. needed.  I downloaded mine off the website and after looking through several options decided on the best one for my husband and I.  I filled one out for each of us with our specific wishes and then we had it notarized.  We also did living wills and durable powers of attorney forms at the same time.  Also, my parents have a copy since my father is the executor and they would get Jackson.  It took several hours to do everything, but it is def. worth the time knowing Jackson will be taken care of.  Hope this helps.

Jackie

Thanks Jackie.  Do you remember the website?

I don't remember the site but I typed in free wills for Georgia and found it.  I have a copy on my computer here of a base template that I can send you if you want.  I kept it in case anyone in my family wanted to do one also.

Jackie

Hi Myra--

You are a smart woman!

Although my husband and I have yet to make out a will, we plan to do it very soon. We may not agree on a name for the baby, but we do believe we want a will in place for him. We have gotten life insurance in order which makes me feel very good.

I know Suze Orman has a will kit through her site....  www.suzeorman.com

Although, I haven't personally used it yet, so I can not give my official "seal of approval."

Your kid is lucky that you are taking action know in the event something happens to you.

--Paula