1. This program is designed to write a simple will. Are you sure that your estate warrants only this basic estate planning device? If you are not sure, answer "No" (type "N" or "n") and we will attempt to aid you in your consideration.
2. It is important to consider the type and amount of your estate to insure that this program will fulfill you needs. There are two questions which must be considered. First, the amount of your estate needs to be carefully considered. State the total estimated dollar amount of your estate: (Include the combined worth of you and your spouse if you are married and most of the property belongs to both of you. If it does not belong to you both, include all of your property and one half of the property that does belong to both of you.)
3. Your estate is not so large as to automatically place you in a category where this program to write a simple will may not be a sufficient estate planning technique. The second question is whether you feel you might wish to create a trust as a vehicle for controlling when, and to whom your estate will be distributed. Do you think that you might need such a trust? (Exclude from your consideration the need for minor children to have a guardian since that can often be handled with the provisions provided in this simple will.)
4. You have answered both questions so as to suggest that this program could indeed provide a valuable tool in your estate plan. You are now ready to proceed.
5. Your answer to the previous question indicates that you should strongly consider seeing an attorney to aid you with your estate plan. This program may not be sufficient. It will, however, provide a simple will that you can use until such time as you decide to seek further advice. You may also wish to use this program to generate a simple will to show your attorney as a starting place for discussion. Do you wish to continue with this program?
6. Thank you for your interest in Personal Lawyer/Wills. We sincerely hope that you have benefited from our program and its use.
7. What is today's date? (Month-day-year)
8. What is your name (Please put your full name with a middle initial if you use one; for example "John Q. Public")?
9. Do you live in a Community Property State (Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas or Washington)?
10. What State do you live in?
11. What county do you live in?
12. Are you currently married?
13. What is your spouse's name (Please put your spouse's full name; for example "Mary R. Doe")?
14. Do you have any living children?
15. Are any of your children minors?
16. Do you have more than one child?
17. How many children do you have?
18. What are your children's names (Please list your children's full names; for example, "John Q. Doe Jr., Sam Doe, and Barbara P. Doe")?
19. What is your child's name (Please put your child's full name; for example "Frank H. Doe")?
20. Do you have any deceased children who died and left issue?
21. What are the names of the issue of your deceased children (Please put the full names of these persons; for example "Frank H. Doe and Barbara P. Doe)?
22. Do you wish to leave any special gifts?
23. Do you have any special gifts that you wish to leave to a specific person even though your spouse survives you? (This series of questions allows you to leave special gifts to someone or some place even if your spouse survives you. Following these questions, you will be given an opportunity to leave special gifts first to your spouse and then to another taker if your spouse doesn't survive you.)
24. There are some types of property and trust interests that cannot be left as a special gift. If you have property in joint tenancy it will automatically pass to the joint tenant at the time of your death if he or she outlives you. (A tenancy in the entirety also passes by right of survivorship and is therefore similar to joint tenancies in some states.) If you have trust property you are not fully in control of, check the terms of the trust to see if you can properly dispose of it in your will.
25. What is the specific gift?
26. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
27. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
28. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation whih needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
29. Do you wish to leave another special gift?
30. What is the specific gift?
31. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
32. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
33. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation which needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
34. Do you wish to leave another special gift?
35. What is the specific gift?
36. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
37. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
38. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation which needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
39. Do you wish to leave another special gift?
40. What is the specific gift?
41. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
42. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
43. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation which needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
44. Do you have any special gifts that you wish to leave to a specific person only if your spouse doesn't survive you?
45. There are some types of property and trust interests that cannot be left as a special gift. If you have property in joint tenancy it will automatically pass to the joint tenant at the time of your death if he or she outlives you. (A tenancy in the entirety also passes by right of survivorship and is therefore similar to joint tenancies in some states.) If you have trust property you are not fully in control of, check the terms of the trust to see if you can properly dispose of it in your will.
46. What is the specific gift?
47. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
48. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
49. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation which needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
50. Do you wish to leave another special gift only if your spouse doesn't survive you?
51. What is the specific gift?
52. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
53. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
54. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation which needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
55. Do you wish to leave another special gift only if your spouse doesn't survive you?
56. What is the specific gift?
57. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
58. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
59. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation which needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
60. Do you wish to leave another special gift only if your spouse doesn't survive you?
61. What is the specific gift?
62. Do you wish the gift left to an institution such as a school, church or other charitable organization?
63. Who do you wish to get this gift (Please put the full name of the person you are leaving this gift to; for example "David F. Doe")?
64. What is the name of the institution? (Please make sure that you have used the appropriate name. In many cases, the general common name is different from the foundation which normally receives such gifts; for example Stanford University has a non-profit foundation which needs to be specifically named in order for you to insure that you will get a charitable tax deduction. The appropriate name can be obtained from calling the institution and asking.)
65. Do you wish your spouse to take all of your property if he or she survives you?
66. Do you wish your children to take all of your property if your spouse does not survive you?
67. Do you wish your child to take all of your property if your spouse does not survive you?
68. If your spouse doesn't survive you, then do you wish your property left to more than one person?
69. Do you wish your children to take all of your property?
70. Do you wish your child to take all of your property?
71. If your child does not survive you then do you wish your property left to more than one person?
72. Do you wish your property left to more than one person?
73. Who do you wish your property left to (Please put the person's full name; for example "Claudia B. Holt")?
74. If [ 73 ] doesn't survive you, then to whom do you wish to leave your property (Please put the person's full name; for example "Claudia B. Holt")?
75. Who do you wish your property left to (Please put the full names; for example "Claudia B. Holt and Sandra P. Holt")?
76. Do you wish your executor to represent any of the takers of your property who are minors? (This includes any persons who are minors and takers even if they aren't your children.)
77. Have you made any funeral arrangements?
78. With whom have you arranged for your funeral (Please list the name of the funeral parlor or church, and the City and State they are located in; for example "Greenhaven Funeral Home, Williamsport, Pennsylvania")?
79. Do you wish to have your body cremated?
80. What do you wish done with your ashes? ("I wish my ashes _______________________________ ...")
81. Do you have a child, spouse or the issue of a deceased child who you intentionally are omitting from this will?
82. What are the names of the persons who you are leaving out of your will (Please put the full names; for example "Claudia B. Holt and Sandra P. Holt") ?
83. Do you wish the same person to have guardianship over both the estate and the person of your minor children?
84. Do you wish to include the children's other parent as a guardian?
85. Who, other then your children's other parent would you like to be the guardian of those children (Please put the full name; for example "Claudia B. Doe")?
86. Who would you like to be the guardian of those children (Please put the full name; for example "Claudia B. Doe")?
87. If [ 86 ] should fail to qualify or doesn't wish to be the guardian, then who do you wish to do it, (Please put the full name; for example "Claudia B. Doe")?
88. Do you wish to include the children's other parent as the guardian of the person of your children?
89. Who do you wish to be the guardian over the person of your minor children (Please put the full name; for example "Claudia B. Doe")?
90. If [ 89 ] should fail to qualify or doesn't wish to be the guardian, then who do you wish to do it (Please put the full name; for example "Claudia B. Doe")?
91. Do you wish to include the children's other parent as the guardian of the estate of your children?
92. Who do you wish to be the guardian over the estate of your minor children (Please put the full name; for example "Claudia B. Doe")?
93. If [ 92 ] should fail to qualify or doesn't wish to be the guardian, then who do you wish to do it (Please put the full name; for example "Claudia B. Doe")?
94. If your spouse survives you, then do you wish to name him or her as the executor of your estate?
95. If your spouse doesn't survive you then do you wish to name joint executors of your estate?
96. Do you wish to name joint executors of your estate?
97. What is the name of the first of the joint executors (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
98. What is the name of the other joint executor (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
99. If for any reason, either [97 ] or [98 ] can't or doesn't wish to be an executor of your estate then do you wish to name someone else to take his or her place?
100. What is that person's name (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
101. What is the name of the person you wish to be the executor if your spouse doesn't survive you (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
102. If for any reason [ 101 ] can't or doesn't want to be the executor, then do you wish to name another person as executor?
103. What is that person's name (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
104. Who do you wish to be the executor of your estate (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
105. If, for any reason, [ 104 ] can't or doesn't wish to be the executor, then who do you wish to do it (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
106. Do you wish to name another person to be the executor if neither 104 ] or [ 105 ] wish to be the executor of your estate?
107. What is that person's name (Please put the full name; for example "John Q. Smith")?
108. Do you own a substantial interest in your own business?
109. What town are you going to sign this will in?
110. You are now done with the questions. The program will form the appropriate will for you from the answers you have given, and print the will for you.
