self help: Legal self-help organization offers free guide on writing wills

Washington, DC – HALT, a leading publisher of legal self help publications, today released a new guide to assist consumers in writing their will. The Citizen’s Legal Guide Write Your Will: No More Procrastination is available for free on HALT’s Web site (http://www.halt.org/) and through HALT’s Legal Information Clearinghouse. “It’s easy to put off writing your will, but it’s definitely a mistake,” said HALT Program Director Theresa Meehan Rudy, the guide’s author. “The rules regarding your estate have scant regard for your wishes. The only way to make sure those wishes are carried out is to get your estate in order, and a great way to begin that process is by writing your will.” A recent nationwide survey conducted by one of the largest financial advisors in the country found that many affluent Americans have not taken the necessary steps to plan their estates. This same survey found that more than one-third of the nation’s wealthiest individuals do not have wills, health-care proxies or trusts. Procrastination is the excuse most cited by the survey respondents who do not have a will. HALT’s easy-to-understand guide answers consumers’ basic questions about wills and estate planning including: what it takes to make a will legally valid, what property can pass to heirs outside of a will, how to choose an executor, what the executor’s duties are, and how to make changes to a will. The guide also advises consumers about their will-writing options such as using do-it-yourself software, working with independent paralegals or hiring a lawyer. HALT's 8-page free Citizens Legal Guides, which also include Plan Your Estate and Probate: How to Settle an Estate, supplement HALT's existing range of resources, which includes brief brochures and handouts along with Citizens Legal Manuals, full-length books that offer detailed information on a legal topic, such as legal research, probate or small claims court. Founded in 1978, HALT—An Organization of Americans for Legal Reform is a nonpartisan, nonprofit public interest organization. HALT pursues an aggressive education and advocacy program that challenges the legal establishment to improve access and accountability and reduce costs in the civil justice system. Please visit http://www.halt.org/ for more information. Web link: http://www.halt.org/self_help_resources/internet_brochures/Writing_Your_Will.pdf June 8, 2006 2:37 PM