Wills

From DCWiki

Try NOLO press for a book on doing it yourself

Quicken Willmaker

I used to work for Nolo Press in Berkeley and they sell a software product (co-branded with Intuit) called Quicken Willmaker. It costs about $40 or $50 and is really easy to use, especially if you want to make something that simple. No need to go to a lawyer for this. Save your money for the person you're leaving it to!

you should know never to trust lawyers

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002Q8T64/enrevanche-20/002-9959389-3418456

Microsoft Willmaker Plus

If you're not interested in paying attorney's fees, you can buy Microsoft Willmaker Plus software and do it yourself (since you're doing it simple). It has more legal documents than you'd ever possibly need, and as long as you have your will signed by witnesses, it is a legally binding document. I seem to remember it cost us about $45. We were in the same situation and used this. It was very simple to use and has a bunch of extra stuff we'll probably never need (for more complicated situations).

Don't need a lawyer

I am not a lawyer (though I'm married to one!), and this advice is worth what you're paying for it, but... you don't need a lawyer.

For something that simple, all you need to do is write it down, sign and date it, and ideally get a witness or two to sign it (but you don't actually have to). Put it somewhere people will find it that the cats don't know about, and you're all set -- a normal thing to do is to put a copy in your office at home, and one in your safety deposit box if you have one.

Much cheaper than paying for a lawyer.

http://LegalZoom.com

Lawyer Recommendations

Jessica Toney at Gilfix and La Poll Associates

I'd recommend talking to Jessica Toney at Gilfix and La Poll Associates. Their main office is in Palo Alto, just east of the Embarcadero/101 interchange. They also have an office in San Jose. I believe they charge $350 for a plain will. I'm not sure if those cost would cover a living will, in case the cats just leave you for dead in a vegetative state.

650 349 8070

Alma Soongi-Beck

is my attorney. She's done the works for me. Simple and easy.

Kimberley Spears

We are really happy with the attorney who set up a trust and wills for my family. Kimberley Spears 415-606-1384 (FamilyWise Estate Planning) She charged a flat fee of $2000 for the trust and wills, and started us off on our schedule of assets by handling the title changes for our home too. I think she charges less if you only want the wills.

Heidi Youssef

in Campbell at the Pruneyard. 408-371-5376

She did our Living Trust......excellent.

Ohel, Doron

Doron Ohel Law Offices (408) 252-4911 20370 Town Center Ln Ste 100, Cupertino, CA Can't remember if he charges $60 or $125.

Jim Efting

of Jackson & Efting. 415 S Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (408) 732-3114

We set up a pretty standard will & trust (and subsequently transferred the key assets to the trust) and did the healthcare paperwork - living wills, powers of attorney etc. I call the health docs the Terry Schiavo Prevention Plan. Efting charged $1400 for the entire package about 2 years ago which I have found to be very reasonable (friends of mine got similar work done for $2500). These documents are not rocket science and unless you have some really funky extended families and money issues, these are pretty straight-forward to execute.

Raymond P. Sheffield

Define "affordable". If you're looking for a simple will, there are lots of software packages out there to do it. If you need more serious estate planning, then it gets more expensive.

A good friend of mine is an estate planning attorney:

Raymond P. Sheffield LLM in Estate Planning Sheffield Law Office 95 South Market Street, Suite 300 San Jose, CA 95113

Phone: 408-920-2500

Thomas Reed

Watson & Lanctot SF 415-362-0900

Craig Dziedzic

cdtaxlaw@aol.com

Mary Falk

I'm not sure about her prices because it's been several years, but I used Mary Falk. She was wonderful to work with.

Wills and Trusts

I am not an expert but the one thing they make clear is that IF you put all of your assets in a will, this forces your estate into probate which can be pretty expensive and can take many months/years to settle even a simple estate. The attorneys will recommend that you put everything into a trust so that there is no probate and much easier to settle.

I had a Trust done up (with my mom's attorney in So. Cal) and it was about $500.(and this was considered cheap) Unfortunately I have yet to find a "reasonably" priced attorney.