Estate Lawyers Flag 7 Will Mistakes as 2 in 3 U.S. Adults Lack One
Updated
Updated · HuffPost · Jul 5
Estate Lawyers Flag 7 Will Mistakes as 2 in 3 U.S. Adults Lack One
2 articles · Updated · HuffPost · Jul 5
Summary
Seven recurring will mistakes topped estate lawyers’ warnings, led by having no will at all and failing to update documents after marriage, divorce, births or deaths.
Two in three U.S. adults lacked a will in a 2020 Caring.com survey of 2,500 Americans, with procrastination and believing they had too few assets cited as the main reasons.
Lawyers said even a valid will may not avoid probate if assets remain solely titled in one name; one Wisconsin example put a $30 transfer-on-death option against roughly $4,000 in probate costs.
Specificity was another theme: naming co-executors can trigger deadlock and legal fees, while vague language around sentimental items often fuels family disputes after death.
The broader advice was to leave clear instructions on where originals are kept and use an estate-law specialist, since poor planning can add time, money and conflict for survivors.