The New York Times has many articles on estate planning. An article from 2010 is still very relevant and discussed six common questions regarding wills: do you need a will; can you do it yourself; do you need more than a will; what about a revocable living trust; how else can probate be avoided and where do you keep your will. Estate planning is a complicated area of the law and each estate plan needs to be tailored to your individual assets and requests for distribution of your estate.
All need a will. Without a will, the State will determine the disposition of your property. No one wants this and all would like to have their property go to who they want and not who the State determineds. A will can be done by yourself but this is not advisable for many reasons. A revocable living trust is designed to avoide probate and keep your estate private. Probate can also be avoided with strategies on certain assets such as life insurance polices. You should keep your will in a fireproof box and/or safe deposit box and make sure your executor knows where the will is kept.
Our law office can discuss the benefits of a will and complete estate plan. Please feel free to contact us for your individual consultation.