Yesterday a new client emailed me a copy of his current will so that I could take a look at it before we met in person. I asked my assistant to print out the pdf file that the client had sent and I have to admit that I was shocked when my assistant put the copy of the will on my desk. You see, the will was printed on legal-sized paper and typed up in good old courier font (you know, the text that looks like it has been typed on a big old-fashioned Smith Corona typewriter), and that's when it dawned on me - the only time that I see documents printed on legal-sized paper and written in courier font is when the documents are really, really old.
Take your will out of the drawer, dust it off, and then check the size of the paper and the font of the text. Is your will on legal-sized paper and looks like it was typed up on a big old-fashioned typewriter? Then without even reading it I can tell you that it's probably time for a new will.
I clicked your link from an email on the WealthCounsel List Serv. I love the comments. You made me smile.
I had never really thought about it that way, but I’m sure you are correct. If a will is old enough to be on legal size paper the laws have probably changed significantly since it was produced and a new one needs to be considered.
About the only people I know who use legal size paper are realtors. They have not yet noticed that the legal profession has moved on.
Best of luck to you in your practice.
Mark
Hi Mark, thanks for your comments. Yes, realtors, and in turn real estate attorneys, are still stuck in legal size paper hell. Florida death certificates are also produced on near legal size paper, and yet birth certificates are produced on paper that is smaller than letter size. Go figure.
Best regards,
Julie Ann Garber, Esq.
Attorney, Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.
Guide to Wills & Estate Planning
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