MANY people think of writing a will and preparing an estate plan as one and the same, but there is a crucial difference.

A will is the ultimate financial-planning document within an estate plan, and making a mistake when drafting yours could have potentially devastating effects on your heirs and their inheritance. If you’re considering using an online will-writing software program to create your will rather than hiring an attorney, you’ve come to the right blog! Read on for a few considerations to bear in mind before making your decision.

Unforeseen events, such as the diagnosis of a terminal illness or the occurrence of a catastrophic accident, happen all the time. And, it’s in those instances that a living will is indispensable. Whereas a last will and testament outlines the distribution of your assets upon your death, a living will documents your instructions to medical professionals in the event that you cannot communicate your wishes but are still alive.

Everyone needs a will. It really is that simple. Few of us like to think about dying but, as Benjamin Franklin noted, only death and taxes are certainties in our lives. And while we may want and expect a long life, the sad truth is there is simply no way of knowing when it is our turn to exit this world – a fact brought starkly home to basketball fans last month with the sudden death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, killed unexpectedly in a helicopter crash.