Avoid the Pain of Legal Probate
If you die without a Will, your assets will have to go through the probate process before being distributed to your family. That could mean years of delays and substantial taxes and fees.
If your Will wasn’t drafted properly or is out of date, that could lead to similar probate nightmares.
Starting at $49.95 per month, a LegalShield Plan gets you a Will with annual updates included at no additional charge.
2 Years
Average length of probate process for estates without a Will.
Source: WealthAdvisor.com Estate Planning Survey
3-7%
Average percentage of estate value paid in fees for probate court if a Will is not in place.
Source: Investopedia.com Avoiding Unnecessary Probate Costs
$12,400
The average amount spent on legal and accounting fees to settle an estate.
Source: EstateExec Estate Planning Survey
2 Years
Average length of probate process for estates without a Will.
Source: WealthAdvisor.com Estate Planning Survey
3-7%
Average percentage of estate value paid in fees for probate court if a Will is not in place.
Source: Investopedia.com Avoiding Unnecessary Probate Costs
$12,400
The average amount spent on legal and accounting fees to settle an estate.
Source: EstateExec Estate Planning Survey
Make it easier for your family
If you die without a Will, most, if not all, of your assets will have to go through the probate process before being distributed to your family. Even if you have a Will, if it’s not been drafted properly and paired with other estate planning essentials like a trust, you may cause your family to spend a significant amount of time and money they otherwise could have avoided.
Make Probate faster with a Will
Having a Will does not avoid probate. But, a well-drafted Will can make the process go faster.
If you die without a Will, your assets will have to go through the probate process before they are distributed to your family. Even if you have a Will, if it’s not been drafted properly and paired with other estate planning essentials like a trust, your loved ones may spend a significant amount of time and money working through a long probate process they otherwise could have avoided.
Using clear, unambiguous language and following the law to the letter is critical in creating a Will. Because laws vary from province to province, it’s also important the lawyer who prepares your Will is familiar with the trusts, estate, and probate laws and practices of your province. Having a lawyer create your Will ensures it’s done correctly and that your family gets the money-saving benefits of proper estate planning.
Use Trusts to avoid Probate
Transferring assets to a trust allows them to pass to your beneficiaries without the hassle of probate.
Trusts are a useful means to avoid probate and are available for estates of any size. A trust can be designed with many goals in mind, including to help you:
- Manage Estate Tax
- Assign Beneficiary Designations
- Care for Children with Special Needs
- Care for Minor Children
- Give to Charity
A lawyer can create the right trust for your specific situation so there are no costly surprises for your family after you pass.
Reduce family conflict
A Will communicates your final wishes for your estate including financial and retirement accounts plus physical assets. Without a Will, critical questions of guardianship of children and even pets will be left to the courts.
If you die without a Will or any estate plan, your family may fight over your probate assets. Adding a difficult and costly legal process to that situation can only worsen matters
An experienced lawyer can create an Estate Plan that smooths the Probate process and dramatically reduces the chances of family conflict.
The stress-free way to minimize Probate problems
Creating an estate plan on your own can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Without the help of a lawyer, your plan may not follow the law and leave your family to quarrel over your assets during a protracted probate process. Most lawyers charge an average of $1,500 dollars to draft a basic estate plan.
Get a personal legal plan from LegalShield starting at $49.95 per month and you get a Will, Living Will and Power of Attorney created by an experienced estate planning lawyer within 5 days of completing our Will Worksheet. You can save significant money on creating a trust too!
“LegalShield saved me over $300 by writing a letter to my [my internet provider] getting me out of a 24-month contract due to several issues. [My provider law firm] is also helping me out with my Will! Thank you.”
—Micheal B.
LegalShield Member
How it works
Legal issues can be confusing, complicated, and even a little embarrassing. Save time, save money, and protect yourself and your family with a legal plan today. Here’s how it works.
1 Become a member
Sign up for your Personal Legal Plan, and then head to accounts.legalshield.com to set up your account. Be sure to add your spouse and dependant children.
2 Download LegalShield App
Download our app, it’s like having a lawyer in your pocket. Our customer service agents are available 24/7 to help guide you.
3 Get legal help
From the app you can choose to call your law firm, submit a traffic ticket, start your Will or other documents, request emergency legal help, and more. It’s that easy.
Check Estate Planning off your checklist by joining LegalShield today.
Family Plans start at only $49.95 per month.
Your LegalShield membership covers every part of Estate Planning
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