{"id":2795,"date":"2013-04-15T13:58:50","date_gmt":"2013-04-15T19:58:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bgs.com\/?p=2795"},"modified":"2013-04-15T13:58:50","modified_gmt":"2013-04-15T19:58:50","slug":"should-you-use-estate-planning-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/15\/should-you-use-estate-planning-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Use Estate Planning Software?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Estate planning software, like a do-it-yourself will template<\/a>, can create a very problematic situation for your loved ones after you die. There are 5 primary reasons why you should steer clear of this option.
\nPoor Asset Protection<\/span><\/strong>
\nTax laws are complicated, far more complicated than most software accounts for. If you want to make sure most of your estate stays in the hands of your family and not in the hands of Uncle Sam or Minnesota Revenue then you should steer clear of estate planning software.
\nA good estate attorney<\/a> can help you take advantage of tax laws to maximize the inheritance that you leave.
\nSoftware Can\u2019t Handle Common Issues<\/span><\/strong>
\nMost people\u2019s estates just aren\u2019t as simple as they imagine. Situations that look straightforward on the surface aren\u2019t straightforward in the eyes of the law.
\nDo you need to set up provisions for a disabled adult child? Do you want your grandchildren to inherit \u2013 but not your living children? Are you trying to leave money to your stepchildren? Do you want to leave the entire estate to charity, cutting your family out of the process entirely?
\nThese are just examples of situations that are very common but which are too complicated for estate planning software to handle. Each of them needs the advice and skills that an attorney can provide in order to guide the situation to the outcome you are hoping for.
\nSoftware Creates Unintended Consequences<\/span><\/strong>
\nHave you ever observed that legal documents are somewhat complicated to read? They\u2019re full of specialized language and sometimes seem even a little redundant.
\nThis is because legal language has to be incredibly clear and precise to reach its intended goal. If that language is off, even by a little bit, then you could open your family up to situations you never wanted.
\nThose consequences could be financial \u2013 like double taxation \u2013 or they could be emotional, like the children of one marriage losing a large portion of their inheritance to the children of the other marriage.
\nYou wouldn\u2019t even be able to spot the problems in the language. You\u2019d need legal training to do that.
\nSoftware Can\u2019t Keep Up with the Laws<\/span><\/strong>
\nLaws governing estates, transfers of assets, tax issues and wills change on a regular basis. As attorneys it is our job to keep up with those laws and to take those changes into account.
\nSoftware programs are not equipped to keep up with those laws. Even software programs tied to online databases might offer real problems if those databases aren\u2019t updated fast enough.
\nFixing the Problems Costs More than Doing it right the First Time<\/span><\/strong>
\nYou may think that you\u2019re saving time and money by using estate planning software. Unfortunately, if there are any problems you or your heirs will wind up having to consult a lawyer to fix them.
\nBy then, your document may already have produced legal consequences that require very complex fixes \u2013 fixes that can cost up to three times as much as getting the job done right the first time.
\nHere at Barna, Guzy, and Steffen<\/a> we\u2019ve been guiding people through their estate planning for over 35 years. If you live in the Minneapolis area give us a call. We\u2019re ready to listen to your unique thoughts and needs and to translate those into strong documents that the law will respect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Estate planning software, like a do-it-yourself will template, can create a very problematic situation for your loved ones after you die. There are 5 primary reasons why you should steer clear of this option. Poor Asset Protection Tax laws are complicated, far more complicated than most software accounts for. If you want to make sure most of your estate stays in the hands of your family and not in the hands of Uncle Sam or Minnesota Revenue then you should steer clear of estate planning software. A good estate attorney can help you take advantage of tax laws to maximize the inheritance that you leave. Software Can\u2019t Handle Common Issues Most people\u2019s estates just aren\u2019t as simple as they imagine. Situations that look straightforward on the surface aren\u2019t straightforward in the eyes of the law. Do you need to set up provisions for a disabled adult child? Do you want your grandchildren to inherit \u2013 but not your living children? Are you trying to leave money to your stepchildren? Do you want to leave the entire estate to charity, cutting your family out of the process entirely? These are just examples of situations that are very common but which are too complicated for estate planning software to handle. Each of them needs the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"yoast_head":"\nShould You Use Estate Planning Software? - Barna, Guzy & Steffen, LTD.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.com\/blog\/2013\/04\/15\/should-you-use-estate-planning-software\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Should You Use Estate Planning Software? - Barna, Guzy & Steffen, LTD.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Estate planning software, like a do-it-yourself will template, can create a very problematic situation for your loved ones after you die. There are 5 primary reasons why you should steer clear of this option. Poor Asset Protection Tax laws are complicated, far more complicated than most software accounts for. If you want to make sure most of your estate stays in the hands of your family and not in the hands of Uncle Sam or Minnesota Revenue then you should steer clear of estate planning software. A good estate attorney can help you take advantage of tax laws to maximize the inheritance that you leave. Software Can\u2019t Handle Common Issues Most people\u2019s estates just aren\u2019t as simple as they imagine. Situations that look straightforward on the surface aren\u2019t straightforward in the eyes of the law. Do you need to set up provisions for a disabled adult child? Do you want your grandchildren to inherit \u2013 but not your living children? Are you trying to leave money to your stepchildren? Do you want to leave the entire estate to charity, cutting your family out of the process entirely? 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