Will software meets
many people's estate needs
by Alan Zisman (c) 2003 First published in
Business in Vancouver ,
Issue #716 July 15-21, 2003 High Tech Office column
Considering how
many deaths we see in a week on TV (to say nothing of in computer
games), it
surprising how many of us remain so squeamish of contemplating the
consequences
our demise may have on our families. Far too many of us either have
never made
a will at all, or have one that’s been outdated by years and changes in
our
financial circumstances.
Intuit Canada hopes to change that, with its
new
made-in-Canada WillExpert software
($50; Windows-only). The product builds on the skills and knowledge of
a team
of experts inCanadian will and estate law and walks a user through a
virtual-interview. Right off the bat, it helps determine whether you
fit the
large majority of users who can be served by this product or whether
your needs
are too specialized. In nearly all cases, the process leads you through
a
series of reasonably straightforward questions about your family,
property and other
assets and preferences about guardianship and disposition of property.
Intuit has done a
good job of keeping the interview process jargon-free, providing
everyday
language definitions of legal terms and answers to legal questions.
Help and
supplementary information is always on-hand, including both text and
videos. The
company’s expertise with tax and financial planning software lets it
offer
on-screen tax and retirement planning information where appropriate.
You can
stop and save the process at any point letting you pause to consider
your
options, resuming it when you’ve made up your mind. Or you can try out
different scenarios to decide what would be your optimum asset
distribution.
The program alerts you to the tax implications of your decisions,
helping you
maximize the amount of your estate that will be given out to your
beneficiaries.
A copy of
WillExpert can be used to create wills for two people; these can be
updated or
changed as needed. Along with the wills, the software can be used to
create supplementary
forms such as personal care directives, paperwork to set up enduring
powers of
attorney, letters to designated executors and guardians, and lists of
special
assets for distribution. Optionally, owners of property outside Canada can create international wills.
Once the interview
process is ended, the software creates a will and other forms; these
can be
signed and witnessed. The program walks you through these steps as
well, and
even gives advice on safekeeping these important documents. These
documents are
valid in all provinces except Quebec.
WillExpert is not
for everyone; special circumstances will require some to get real, as
opposed
to virtual legal advice. The software knows its limitations well enough
to
point most such users in that direction. And some may simply prefer
discussing
such matters with their lawyer rather than with a computer.
The opposite is
also the case, however; many may prefer the anonymity and privacy of
using
software, along with its ability to be accessed at any time of day or
night.
(And of course, a $49 software package is a lot cheaper than legal
fees,
especially if you need to revise your will over time).
Because wills and
other similar documents tend to be built on standardized boilerplate
text, simple
template-based books and software has been available from a number of
sources,
including North Vancouver’s Self-Counsel
Press. These will do
the trick for many people with basic needs. But kudos to Intuit Canada for taking the process several
steps
further, making WillMaker an affordable virtual expert which provides
users
more of the information and hand-holding needed to make informed
decisions
about how to take care of children and other family members in the
event of
their deaths.