Thanks to the Internet, you can shop at midnight in your pajamas on the streets of New York from your desktop in Kansas City. When the purchase is a book or a blouse or a box of chocolates, consumers soon know if they've made a good buy. The reality is that only your survivors will know if you've made a smart investment. But when you're buying something that has a far-reaching effect, you need to verify the record and reliability of the business that is offering the service over the Internet.
Estate planning involves more than putting words on paper.
What clients pay for when they consult a lawyer to draw up a will, create a trust or draft a durable power of attorney is not the document so much as the professional expertise. The interview helps shape what the attorney proposes. Family dynamics play an important role in shaping the document and that interaction is lacking with Web-based transactions. The Internet, however, can be useful in helping clients select an attorney and in learning about a legal subject. Reading the books, however, is not a substitute for legal advice.