The only site I'll ever need...

[Quality Start Machine]

I know we have several alleged lawyers here -- any non-advice on what to look for when creating a will? We've gotten quotes that range from like $400 to $3,000 (which seems insane, though maybe this is a reasonable get-what-you-pay-for thing) and there are terms thrown around that I have little understanding of like various types of trusts and directives, etc. We just want our bases covered, but since I don't even know what those are, I can't really ask for them. Any tips?

It depends on what you have and how you want to distribute it.  Are you married?  If so, do you live in a community property state?  I don't do probate, but my experience is that if you die intestate (without a will) the state will generally do what you would have done had you had a will.  The main reason for going to a lawyer is to do what you can to avoid estate taxes that allow the state to get a share of your estate that would have otherwise gone to your heirs.  But I say "tough on those ungrateful brats!"  You made it the hard way.  Why should their lazy asses be rewarded?

You generally want as little passing through probate as possible. It takes forever, is expensive, and is public. If you die without a will your property gets divided up amongst your family regardless of whether you even liked that brother who's always posting pro Donald Trump memes on your wall. Wanted to leave something to friends or charity? Too bad, should've written a will. And the scheme for doing that is determined state by state, so you're basically letting the legislators of your fine state write your will for you if you die without one.

Trusts can get around both the not having a will problem as well as the long probate (think "the judge-controlled legal process of interpreting and following a will") problem, and there are provisions that can make it harder for creditors to access your assets or, for example, to protect your son or daughter from him or herself by limiting access to gifts until certain ages or conditions are met. This whole structure can vary wildly state by state so you'll need a lawyer in your jurisdiction. My firm handles high net worth estate planning (not my department, but people I can ask under the guise of being new) but if you're not in California I can't tell you much in specifics that's going to be helpful to you. Unlike Stew, who has mercifully forgotten law school and the bar exam by now (I hope), I just got out of law school and took trusts and estates very recently, so it's somewhat fresh. Damn it.

We've got a fair amount of assets (but no kids/heirs), but we were able to do it all with Microsoft Willmaker.

Look it's too late for us at this point but I hope you at least left something for your grandson

Especially since he was the heir to the vast Lemmy fortune.

It got divided among all his kids. I used mine on a cup of coffee this morning.

[CT III]

I know we have several alleged lawyers here -- any non-advice on what to look for when creating a will? We've gotten quotes that range from like $400 to $3,000 (which seems insane, though maybe this is a reasonable get-what-you-pay-for thing) and there are terms thrown around that I have little understanding of like various types of trusts and directives, etc. We just want our bases covered, but since I don't even know what those are, I can't really ask for them. Any tips?

It depends on what you have and how you want to distribute it.  Are you married?  If so, do you live in a community property state?  I don't do probate, but my experience is that if you die intestate (without a will) the state will generally do what you would have done had you had a will.  The main reason for going to a lawyer is to do what you can to avoid estate taxes that allow the state to get a share of your estate that would have otherwise gone to your heirs.  But I say "tough on those ungrateful brats!"  You made it the hard way.  Why should their lazy asses be rewarded?

You generally want as little passing through probate as possible. It takes forever, is expensive, and is public. If you die without a will your property gets divided up amongst your family regardless of whether you even liked that brother who's always posting pro Donald Trump memes on your wall. Wanted to leave something to friends or charity? Too bad, should've written a will. And the scheme for doing that is determined state by state, so you're basically letting the legislators of your fine state write your will for you if you die without one.

Trusts can get around both the not having a will problem as well as the long probate (think "the judge-controlled legal process of interpreting and following a will") problem, and there are provisions that can make it harder for creditors to access your assets or, for example, to protect your son or daughter from him or herself by limiting access to gifts until certain ages or conditions are met. This whole structure can vary wildly state by state so you'll need a lawyer in your jurisdiction. My firm handles high net worth estate planning (not my department, but people I can ask under the guise of being new) but if you're not in California I can't tell you much in specifics that's going to be helpful to you. Unlike Stew, who has mercifully forgotten law school and the bar exam by now (I hope), I just got out of law school and took trusts and estates very recently, so it's somewhat fresh. Damn it.

We've got a fair amount of assets (but no kids/heirs), but we were able to do it all with Microsoft Willmaker.

I assume this will all be going into the Hockeenight.com Trust which will be capably administered by myself.

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I'm now picturing Charles Foster Fork lying on his deathbed uttering the name of his beloved childhood sled.

"Fanzone"

[Bort]

I'm now picturing Charles Foster Fork lying on his deathbed uttering the name of his beloved childhood sled.

"Fanzone"

"British...muscle...b..."

[World's #1 Astros Fan]

I'm now picturing Charles Foster Fork lying on his deathbed uttering the name of his beloved childhood sled.

"Fanzone"

"British...muscle...b..."

"Booze, cruise...t..."

[Tonker]

Huh, is Desipio still here?  Go figure.  It's all happening over at Slack now.

[CBStew]

I'm now picturing Charles Foster Fork lying on his deathbed uttering the name of his beloved childhood sled.

"Fanzone"

I picture him uttering "Calzone".

[Saul Goodman]

Thanks for your help, only site.

/butthurt

[Bort]

Thanks for your help, only site.

/butthurt

To be fair, I didn't actively mock your first world problem. That's as close to helpful as I usually manage.

[Saul Goodman]

Thanks for your help, only site.

/butthurt

To be fair, I didn't actively mock your first world problem. That's as close to helpful as I usually manage.

I'll take it.

[Saul Goodman]

My best friend from college is getting married in the city she moved to for work:

St. Louis.

So my question is, how hard is it to access the top of the Arch, or is there a more accessible building I can jump off?

[Slaky]

My best friend from college is getting married in the city she moved to for work:

St. Louis.

So my question is, how hard is it to access the top of the Arch, or is there a more accessible building I can jump off?

Try killing yourself by jumping off the Purina factory or maybe into one of their food processors. Best of luck.

[Quality Start Machine]

My best friend from college is getting married in the city she moved to for work:

St. Louis.

So my question is, how hard is it to access the top of the Arch, or is there a more accessible building I can jump off?

Try killing yourself by jumping off the Purina factory or maybe into one of their food processors. Best of luck.

Wear a "Stan Musial Was A Draft Dodger" shirt. If you're going out, go out in a blaze of glory.

[Saul Goodman]

My best friend from college is getting married in the city she moved to for work:

St. Louis.

So my question is, how hard is it to access the top of the Arch, or is there a more accessible building I can jump off?

Try killing yourself by jumping off the Purina factory or maybe into one of their food processors. Best of luck.

Wear a "Stan Musial Was A Draft Dodger" shirt. If you're going out, go out in a blaze of glory.

Would "Oscar Taveras Maybe Kind of Asked For It And Also Was a Murderer" fit on a shirt?

[Yeti]

My best friend from college is getting married in the city she moved to for work:

St. Louis.

So my question is, how hard is it to access the top of the Arch, or is there a more accessible building I can jump off?

I was at a wedding at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel and it was fantastic... it also was a 100k+ wedding so I don't think even St Louis can fuck that up.