How to Screw Over Your Kids with a Free Will Template.
“I Googled a Will—Now My Family’s in Court”
When DIY Estate Planning Goes From Budget-Friendly to Batsh*t Expensive
So you downloaded a will template.
Filled in the blanks. Printed it at home. Maybe even got your cousin to “witness” it in the kitchen during halftime.
You saved $800 and felt like a genius.
Until your kids were sitting in probate court with a lawyer whispering, “This isn’t valid.”
💥 The Dollar Store Will Disaster
Let’s be clear: Just because it looks official doesn’t mean it’s legal.
Michigan has strict requirements for wills.
If you skipped those? You didn’t make a will.
You made a conversation starter for a judge.
⚖️ What Actually Goes Wrong (All the Damn Time):
Unclear Language = Family Feud
“You get the house.”
Cool. Which house? The one you lived in, the one you rented out, or the cottage up north that now five people are claiming?
Legal documents need specifics. Your DIY version needs therapy.
Witnesses Matter—and So Does How They Sign
Your cousin scribbled her name and dipped?
Great. That will’s about as valid as a Chuck E. Cheese receipt.
No witnesses = no will.
Witnesses who benefit from the will? Also trash.
Handwritten in Sharpie on a napkin? Fun for movies. Not so much in probate.
🧠 Translation: You didn’t save money. You delayed chaos.
You Forgot the Backup Plan
You listed who gets your car, house, and dog.
But what happens if they die first?
What if you sell the house? Trade the car? The dog outlives you?
A real estate plan has contingencies. Yours has vibes.
🧃 “But It’s Better Than Nothing!”
No, it’s not.
A bad will is worse than no will.
Because a bad will creates expectations.
Then fails to meet them—publicly, emotionally, and in a courtroom full of pissed-off relatives.
🚨 Real Talk From the Probate Trenches:
We’ve seen families torch thousands fighting over who Mom really meant.
We’ve seen “witnessed” wills tossed out because they weren’t done right.
We’ve seen estate assets frozen for months over missing clauses and lazy phrasing.
The court does not care what you “meant to do.”
It cares what you actually did—and whether it meets the statute.
🛑 Bottom Line:
Estate planning isn’t IKEA furniture.
You don’t get points for doing it “mostly right.”
✅ Want to protect your family?
✅ Want your stuff to go where you say?
✅ Want to skip the probate soap opera?
Then stop downloading documents and start drafting a real plan—with someone who knows what the hell they’re doing.
Newburg Law – We Fix What Google Broke.