Online Will Kits vs Lawyers: The True Cost of Cutting Legal Corners

Why do thousands of Australians hesitate between online will kits and professional legal advice? The answer often comes down to money and convenience.

Will kits promise quick solutions at low costs, and many people want to write their own wills without the expense of traditional legal fees. 

Now, we won’t deny that the appeal is understandable. But handling it yourself can come with hidden risks, which is why at www.securatorlegal.com.au, we aim to protect families from the problems that can arise from doing it yourself. After all, even minor mistakes can turn into major issues, and we’ve seen the stress they bring.

So how do the upfront savings of DIY wills vs lawyers really compare once everything is considered? Let’s start with online will kits.

Online Will Kits: Are They Safe and Affordable?

When online will kits are cheap (under fifty dollars) and can be completed privately at home, it’s no wonder they appeal to busy people.

Those with straightforward lives can often make this do-it-yourself approach work quite well. For example, if you’re single with basic assets and clear wishes, these will kits might give you the protection you need. The best part about it is that you can also work at your own pace.

Risks of Online Will Kits 

Now, don’t go clicking away just yet. The first thing to know about these DIY will kits is that their generic templates can’t account for your personal situation, like:

• Blended Families: Households using DIY kits can run into problems, as these templates often overlook stepchildren or complex family relationships. Personal assets, business holdings, or trusts may also need careful planning to avoid complications.
  
• Mistakes in witnessing: Many people also mess up the signing process. You need two witnesses who follow specific rules, but the legal terms can be confusing. Even simple mistakes like improper stapling can cause court delays and require expensive explanations.
  
• Family provision: Problems get worse when family provision claims arise. Imagine someone dies after a car accident with complicated insurance payouts and multiple beneficiaries who fight over personal details. Will kits simply can’t prepare you for these messy situations or help your loved ones avoid legal issues.

So, while DIY kits give a basic start, they can’t guide families through the legal and emotional issues after someone passes. These limitations show why it’s really important to get professional legal advice when planning your estate.

Why You Should Choose Professional Legal Advice for Your Will

Lawyers provide professional legal advice that considers multiple factors beyond basic asset distribution. They take time to understand personal details like your marriage history, any divorce settlements, stepchildren’s needs, and how blended families work together. Unfortunately, generic templates can’t handle these complexities.

Then there’s the technical stuff like tax implications, family trust planning, and protecting your assets. A good lawyer can structure your estate so your family pays less tax and keeps your assets safe from potential creditors or disputes down the track.

But how much does that actually cost?

Legal service costs

The money side of things is quite interesting when you break it down. A lawyer-prepared will in South Australia usually costs between $400 and $1,500, depending on how complicated your situation is. That’s because the Supreme Court’s Scale of Costs caps hourly rates between $200 and $900, based on a lawyer’s experience.

So, a DIY kit that costs under $200 might start to look pretty tempting again, but here’s the catch: litigation costs to fix messed-up wills can easily hit tens of thousands of dollars. And family provision disputes alone can drain your estate when beneficiaries end up fighting over unclear documents in court.

But lawyers make sure everything follows succession law properly. They handle the correct two-witness procedure and all the legal paperwork that prevents expensive court challenges later. 

These cost differences become more obvious once you see how a cheap DIY can end up costing a lot if something goes wrong.

DIY Will Mistakes That Can Cost You Thousands

Most people don’t realise how easily DIY wills can go wrong. Even small mistakes can end up costing families thousands.

Common mistakes happen surprisingly often, and they usually fall into predictable patterns:

• Using unclear or confusing legal terms: People often write things like “my jewellery to my daughter” without saying which pieces they mean, or they accidentally contradict themselves in different parts of the will. The language might make perfect sense to them, but it leaves everyone else guessing.
  
• Forgetting to choose an executor: When there’s no executor named in the will, the court has to step in and appoint someone. This can cause delays and extra costs for your family members when they’re already dealing with grief.
  
• Overlooking certain assets: Things like superannuation, digital accounts, or jointly owned property often bypass wills completely, which means they don’t get distributed according to your written wishes. Because of this, family members may be unsure about who inherits what, and arguments can follow.

• Missing documents: Finally, there’s the surprisingly common problem of not storing the will somewhere safe or giving clear instructions about where to find it. When this happens, loved ones end up searching everywhere whilst estate administration gets completely stuck.

As you can see, these DIY wills can create more problems than they solve. You can make it easy for you and your family by getting expert help.

Choose the Path That Protects Your Loved Ones

Now the choice is up to you: do you prioritise saving money with do-it-yourself solutions, or do you invest in securing peace of mind through professional legal advice?

Before you decide, carefully weigh legal service costs against the real risks of family provision disputes, lengthy delays, and devastating emotional strain on your loved ones. The upfront expense of proper legal advice often prevents much larger costs down the track.

If protecting your loved ones is your priority, Securator Legal can guide you through succession law. We’ll make sure your family is cared for with a plan that works.

Ready to secure your family’s future? Contact us today for expert estate planning advice.

Disclaimer:

This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every individual’s circumstances are unique, and the information provided may not apply to your specific situation. Securator Legal does not accept responsibility for any loss, cost, or damage incurred as a result of reliance on the material in this article. For tailored advice, we strongly recommend consulting a qualified legal professional before making any decisions regarding wills or estate planning.