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Examples Of Warren Burger's Concise And Faulty Will

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Warren Burger's Concise and Faulty Will Some people assume that judges and lawyers always have a comprehensive estate plan because they know what can happen without an estate plan. Without a will, the intestate laws of your state determine how your property will be divided. Intestate laws determine who will inherit your property. Surely judges and attorneys know better than to leave such an important decision to state law. Wrong! Even attorneys and judges can make estate planning mistakes that cost their loved ones time and money. One of the most famous examples is the estate of Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger. An Example of DIY Estate Planning Gone Wrong For someone who drafted lengthy court decisions, Chief Justice Burger was extremely brief (far too brief) …show more content…

They claimed the “poor estate planning” by the justice cost his heirs hundreds of thousands of dollars in estate taxes. This could have been avoided by using estate planning tools such as trusts and gifts to minimize estate taxes. If only the justice would have consulted an experienced estate planning attorney instead of attempting to prepare his own will. Shouldn’t an educated, experienced U.S. Supreme Court justice know better? What is Wrong With a Do-It-Yourself Will And Estate Plan? If you read other opinions of Chief Justice Burger’s choice to type his own will, you get a different view of his DIY will. Some proponents claim his will was sufficient and he did not make a mistake by typing a concise, short will. However, choosing to prepare your own will can backfire on you and on your heirs. In trying to save a little money by using estate forms you find online or by using an online estate planning website, you could unnecessarily place your heirs in a terrible position after your death. Reasons why you need to consult an experienced Dayton wills attorney

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