The Danger of Non-Attorney Drafting
The allure of a cheap, online Will is understandable, but the risks are astronomical. When you buy a legal document from a non-attorney platform, you are sacrificing three critical pillars:
- Required Language: North Carolina law has very specific requirements for a Will to be valid. If the “boilerplate” language doesn’t meet current standards, the court may simply throw it out.
- Accountability: If your “handmade” Will has a flaw, who do you call? There is no professional relationship or malpractice oversight with a digital download.
- Specific Intent: A generic form cannot account for your specific taxes, family dynamics, or long-term care needs.
The Destructive Cost of Saving a Penny
Attorney Haley Matson points out that while a DIY Will might save you a few hundred dollars today, it could cost
your family tens of thousands tomorrow.
“If those requirements are not met, your property is going to be decided by the state of North Carolina instead of your wishes,” Matson explains.
When a Will is
invalid, you enter the world of Will Caveats and massive litigation. The irony? Attorneys actually make more money cleaning up the mess of a bad DIY Will through litigation fees than they do drafting a proper one in the first place.
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