US THIS AFTERNOON FROM THE CITY OF GREENSBORO. BILL. YEAH, EXPERTS SAY THAT EVERY ADULT SHOULD HAVE A WILL, BUT IS THIS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO ONLINE YOURSELF, OR DO YOU NEED TO HAVE THE HELP OF AN ATTORNEY? IF YOU DON’T HAVE A WILL AND ACCORDING TO SURVEYS, ONLY A THIRD OF AMERICAN ADULTS DO. SO YOU CAN MAKE ONE ONLINE IN 20 MINUTES OR LESS. PEOPLE JUST DON’T THINK ABOUT IT. THEY DON’T THINK ABOUT IT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE. BUT THE FREE OFFER COMES FROM A NONPROFIT BASED IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS, CALLED LANIE POPE. IT HAS PARTNERED WITH AN ONLINE COMPANY CALLED FREE WILL. THE OFFER IS FREE, BUT THE NONPROFIT, WHICH FOR MORE THAN 90 YEARS HAS HELPED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED, HOPES THAT YOU’LL REMEMBER THEM IN YOUR WILL. AND WE HOPE THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER HONORING LANIE POPE AMONGST THEIR TREASURED ASSETS AND WOULD CONSIDER NAMING LANIE POPE A BENEFICIARY IN THEIR ESTATE PLANS. THAT’S OUR HOPE. THE ONLINE WILL ASK FOR BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND EVEN WHETHER OR NOT YOU’D LIKE TO LEAVE ANYTHING FOR A FAMILY PET DYING WITHOUT A WILL CAN LEAVE FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE LURCH. YOU KNOW, ARETHA FRANKLIN’S WILL WAS JUST SETTLED. IT WAS JUST PROBATED. THEY FOUND FOUR WILLS WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY IN 2018. AND IF YOU DON’T DIE WITH A WILL, YOU’VE GOT INTESTACY AND IT CAN JUST BE A NIGHTMARE FOR FOR THOSE THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND. GREENSBORO ATTORNEY, DON VAUGHN SAYS EVERYONE NEEDS A WILL, BUT NOT ONE DUNN ONLINE. AND THE PROBLEM IS IN THE EXECUTION OF THE WILL. THAT’S THE TRICKY PART. VAUGHN, WHO TEACHES WILLS AT WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY, SAYS YOU NEED THREE DOCUMENTS A WILL POWER OF ATTORNEY AND A LIVING WILL. AND IF IT’S NOT EXACTLY DONE RIGHT, IT’S WORTHLESS. VAUGHN SAYS FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON, THE WHOLE PACKAGE WILL COST ABOUT $500. IS IT WORTH IT? NO. YOU OUGHT TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL TO DO IT, GET IT EXECUTED PROPERLY, AND THEN PUT IT AWAY WITH YOUR OTHER VALUABLE PAPERS. CATHY SHEFFIELD, CHIEF ADVANCED OFFICER FOR LANIE POPE, SAYS HIRING AN ATTORNEY TO DRAW UP A WILL CAN COST AS MUCH AS $1,000. AND FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD IT, THE FREE WILL IS AN OPTION, BUT AGREES THAT THAT LEGAL HELP IS A SMART MOVE. I ALWAYS ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE WHATEVER DOCUMENT FREE WILL PRODUCES FOR YOU AND THAT YOU HAVE IT REVIEWED BY AN ATTORNEY. ALTHOUGH IN MOST STATES IN THE UNITED STATES, THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY REQUIRED. AND WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY OR DO IT YOURSELF ONLINE, THE MESSAGE DURING MAKE A WILL MONTH IS TO GET IT DONE. DON’T PUT IT OFF UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE.