With the increased coverage of artificial intelligence (AI), some people may wonder whether an AI program can create an estate plan for them. While AI may be able to generate basic estate planning documents, there is no guarantee that they will be valid and enforceable. Most people do not have the legal knowledge necessary to determine what clauses and language should be included in a will or trust to accomplish estate planning goals. They are also unfamiliar with state laws or how to comply with them. People rely on experienced attorneys to prepare the necessary documents to carry out their wishes effectively and legally.
Some estate laws are complex and challenging to understand, and you may not know enough specifics to verify that AI has correctly generated or created your will or trust. Your final documents may contain wording, formatting, and grammatical errors that make them unenforceable. To review them carefully, you must know what to look for, which often requires a certain level of legal education and knowledge. The AI program does not understand your situation and will not help you recognize or solve legal issues unless you can provide additional information. Even then, you should be cautious and ask yourself the following questions:
- How well do I understand my options for protecting my money, property, family, or business if I have a medical emergency and after death?
- Do I have a complex financial situation with large amounts of property, income, or debt?
- Is my family structure complicated?
- Am I undecided about my wishes?
Ease and Convenience versus Legal Expertise. Online estate planning programs are designed to streamline or automate the process. While they may provide convenience, they provide limited guidance and offer little to no customization, legal expertise, and personalization that an experienced estate planning attorney can provide. Consider your needs and circumstances before choosing an online estate planning program. You may have trouble providing accurate and specific answers for several reasons:
- Legal knowledge. Crafting precise answers to estate planning questions requires familiarity with legal terms, their context, and how they should be structured in a legal document.
- Clear intentions. Vague or ambiguous answers can lead to inaccurate, incorrect, or inadequate documents for your situation.
- Complex legal requirements. Legal documents must adhere to specific formatting, contain specific language, and comply with legal requirements that are not always straightforward.
- Legal consequences. Certain instructions or clauses within a document require predicting and avoiding potential legal issues; being unaware of the risks has adverse legal consequences.
- Omission and oversight. You may overlook critical details or legal considerations necessary to achieve your estate planning goals, resulting in incomplete or ineffective documents.
If you do not understand which estate planning strategies should be implemented to address your unique situation, how can you ensure that the software creates the appropriate documents for your needs? Legal professionals have the necessary expertise and training to address your concerns and implement an adequate estate plan to carry out your wishes legally. If you are ready to create a legally enforceable, customized estate plan, call our office to schedule an appointment.