Wills bought online

By Patricia Nugent

It seems as if there’s very little left in life that cannot be accomplished online. But if you think drafting your last will and testament via the internet would save you time and money, think again.

Local elder law and estate planning expert Attorney Margaret T. Karl offers her take. “There are lots of disadvantages to going with a one-size-fits-all website that provides documents for you to fill out,” she says. “These documents can be complex and overwhelming. I often receive calls from people who have filled out a document from an online legal service and then have doubts over whether they did it correctly and need me to look over it.”

And although many sites advertise on television that they offer free downloads, in the end they do not.

“You have to pay a fee if you have any questions, and those fees can be steep,” she says. “People I speak with who have gone through the process actually paid more than if they went with my firm.”

If you go over your will with Margie, she will have a firm handle on all the specific language currently acceptable to local financial institutions. And once you’ve made out your will, she will keep a copy and be there for you in the ensuing years when you might need to update it.

Having a will done by Margie is painless and affordable. It just takes two half-hour meetings. In the first one, she gathers the necessary information, then drafts a will for the client to review, and they come back to sign it. To make it even more convenient, she makes house calls.

Margaret T. Karl, attorney at law, is located at 25800 North Depot Street, Suite 102, in Olmsted Falls. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Interested in having Margie speak to your group or organization? Call 440-782-5051 or visitOlmstedOhioLaw.com.