Estate Planning Resources

Writing a Will without an Attorney
Many people ask about writing a Will without hiring an attorney. In fact, hiring a lawyer is not a requirement in order to have a valid Will, and several document preparation services have arisen in the last few years as an alternative. If you want a simple and inexpensive Will, this kind of service may meet your needs.  Review our information sheet to learn more.

Taking Care of What Matters
When starting your estate planning, there is a lot to think about.  Evaluating your personal situation. Talking with family.  Determining the documents you’ll need.  Finding a lawyer.  The ACLU has put together a free booklet called “Taking Care of What Matters” that covers many of these issues and more.

Estate Organizer
Our Estate Organizer tool helps you document your important financial and personal information in one place.

Resources on the Web
Below, we’ve provided links to articles and websites that we hope you’ll find useful as you consider your future plans.

Getting Started:

• Chicago Tribune: “Documents You Need Before You Die or Become Incapacitated”
• Credit.com: “7 Documents You Need to Fill Out Before You Die”
• Forbes: “I Don’t Have An Estate. Why Do I Need An Estate Plan?”
• American Bar Association: “An Introduction to Wills”

Articles from sites that also provide will drafting services:

• Nolo.com: “Making a Will: Are Lawyers Optional?”
• Rocketlawyer.com: “What to Think About Before You Write Your Will”
• Legalzoom.com: “Wills FAQs”

Sources of attorney referrals:

• The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel: Find an ACTEC Fellow
• Martindale: Find Lawyers and Law Firms
• Nolo Network

The ACLU Site contains links to other websites that we think may be of interest to you. We are not responsible for and have no control over these other sites or their content. Remember that when you link to another site, that other site is governed by its own user agreement and privacy statement, which you should be sure to read.