Using a throwaway bc my boss knows my main. Idk but i've been trying to resolve this on my own but I'm stuck.
DIY will vs hiring attorney. I've been dealing with this for about 10 weeks now and the situation isn't improving.
Do I have a strong case? What should my next steps be?
Retired estate planning attorney with 30 years of experience. My honest take on DIY wills:
DIY is probably fine if: You're single with no kids, your assets are straightforward (bank accounts, personal property, maybe a house), you have no complicated family dynamics, and you're in a state that accepts holographic (handwritten) wills.
Hire an attorney if: You have minor children (guardianship provisions are critical), you own property in multiple states, you have a blended family, you have a taxable estate (over $13.6M federal, lower in some states), you want to minimize probate, or you have a special needs beneficiary (SNPT required).
The real risk of DIY: it's not that the will won't work — it's that it'll create problems you never anticipated. Ambiguous language, missing witnesses, failure to account for jointly held property, not addressing digital assets. These issues only surface after you're gone, when it's too late to fix them.