Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This program contains some excellent resources for estate and end-of-life planning and could save you considerable money in legal costs. I have some experience in this field from the professional end, and I know that simple wills can be a lucrative proposition for attorneys. Quite often, it's a simple matter of plugging in the names of the beneficiaries and printing them off. No reason to pay an attorney to do this if you can do it yourself. (That said, if your situation is complicated, you need to hire the professional. Better that you spend the money now than leave your grieving family to work it out after you die.)
I have Windows Vista, and it installed painlessly. I had no trouble with launch, answered its questions to see what documents it recommended for me and drew up at first a simple will--leaving everything to my husband or, if he predeceases me, my son; dividing my properly unevenly among my family if my son also does not survive me. The only hassle here is in the uneven division. It says it does the math for you, but that's not exactly true--it totals it, yes, but you still need to be able to work out that so-and-so gets 1/9th while somebody else gets 1/6th. It's probably a whole lot easier if you divide it evenly, but there are some in my family who need more and some in my family who deserve more. Fortunately, I can still manage my basic math. The will it produced in this case was just fine. Too, the program offers good information in its sidebars and provides easy access to usage guides online. (It even prompted me to name a guardian for my dog--a nice touch.)
When I was finished, it asked me if I would like to produce the same will for my husband--a nice feature. I didn't have to go through the process a second time.
After that, I went back to make things more complicated by leaving specific bequests--handy if you want your Aunt Sally's china to pass to cousin Gertrude. It performed well here, too.
Since I was testing this product for Vine, I also poked at some of the other documents provided. It's really comprehensive, from direction for somebody taking care of your elderly relatives to authorization for somebody to take your child out of the country, from instructions for your housesitter to a "notice to put name on do not call list", there's a whole suite of useful documents in here, all very thoroughly explained and simple to use and print off. Moreover, with internet connection, it promises to offer any legal updates necessary to keep me up to date legally through the year.
Along with this package comes a free copy of Your Little Legal Companion: Helpful Advice for Life's Big Events from NOLO. I have nothing but respect for NOLO, but their definition of "legal" is pretty loose here. There's some good legal advice, to be sure, but at a random page opening (p. 151), I see the following tips (for travel): (1) contact your embassy in case of trouble; (2) bring toilet paper; (3) send postcards; (4) be careful with the food and bring Pepto Bismal; (5) get last minute information on U.S. international travel advisory and (6) don't worry that your dog will hold a grudge against you for being gone. This may all be good advice, but not much of it is legal. The book is full of this kind of thing. It's an entertaining read, but pretty light on law.
It also included a free download of Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law: Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Legal Questions. Updated in 2008 (at least, the copy I downloaded), this book does give a pretty comprehensive overview of the law and some good, common sense suggestions for getting by in legally challenging environments: buying or selling a house; getting along with your neighbors, landlord or tenants; operating effectively when working for yourself or others; filing patents, etc. This book is a good added value, even if it is a digital copy, and it manages to remain highly readable even in discussing the law.
Overall, I think this package is a very good value and likely to be quite useful to individuals who want to draw up some of their own legal documents. You'll still need to follow some formalities on your own (for instance, my state requires two witnesses and a notary public for many legal documents), but you may save considerable money over attorneys fees, and if your needs are simple that's worth it in itself. The additional books are a nice touch, even if one of them is pretty lightweight legally.
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Make a legal will, health care directive and other documents that protect your family and property. Bonus! Includes free online living trust by Nolo. Plus: Register your software and download a free copy of Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law. "[Willmaker] can walk you through making a will and provisions you need to consider for your situation." 2/7/2011 CBS MoneyWatch. Save your family money and time—create a customized estate plan quickly and easily with Quicken WillMaker Plus 2011. The software provides the forms, legal information and step-by-step guidance. All you have to do is follow a simple question and answer interview, make your wishes known, and in less than thirty minutes you can produce the following legal documents that protect your property and loved ones:
Legal Will
Health Care Directive
Financial Powers of Attorney
Executor Documents
Information for Caregivers and Survivors
Revocation Documents
Final Arrangements Quicken WillMaker Plus 2011 also provides dozens of personal finance and home and family documents that you can use to deal with common money matters and household situations. Forms include:
Promissory Notes
Security Agreement for Borrowing Money
General Bill of Sale
Authorization for Foreign Travel With Minor
Housesitting and Childcare Instructions
Pet Care Agreement Find help along the way! If you get stuck while completing a document, the onscreen guide and legal manual are right at your side. They help you understand the current task and provide legal and practical answers to questions that arise as you complete your documents. Need to make changes later? No problem! You can revise your answers at any time. Quicken WillMaker Plus 2011 is written and updated regularly by Nolo's expert attorneys. Free legal updates will keep your program current through 2011. Choose Quicken WillMaker Plus 2011 and enjoy the peace and satisfaction of putting a solid estate plan into place. *Quicken WillMaker Plus 2011 is not valid in Louisiana or the U.S. Territories. "
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