Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Washington

Re: Changing a will

She is making a MAJOR change to her estate plan. I would STRONGLY suggest she either execute a codicil to the Will or an entirely new will. As to fees, there are forms available. However, you often get what you pay for. More importantly, the child that is removed from the will may wish to challenge the new will. Your mother will want to make sure the new will complies with all will requirements.

There are attorneys that are willing to draft relatively inexpensive wills and, in some instances, even draft and send them over the internet or by email in order to reduce time and expense. That may be an option. However, she can probably count on a fee of $100 for such a service.

Please contact me if you need for information or would like to discuss the matter further at [email protected]

Re: Changing a will

You should draft and execute a new will. Do not try to do this via marking up the current document. There are forms available on the Internet (e.g. nolo.com) if you cannot afford to hire an attorney. Just make sure that you follow the instructions carefully. Failure to properly execute a will can cause serious problems.