Today's issue of TechnoLawyer NewsWire covers document automation software for estate planning and other lawyers (see article below), software that enables you to send slide shows via email, and an online research service for European Union case law. Don't miss the next issue.
Stiffs and Gifts on Steroids
By Neil J. Squillante
"Computer, please draft a trust for Mr. Jones." "Hey computer, I said please draft a trust for Mr. Jones." "I'm talking to you!" "Hello, anyone home?" "Is this thing on?"
Too bad computers are still in their infancy. Although you can't give them complex tasks to do that require thinking, you can have them handle repetitive tasks. The latest entrant in the document automation space is Fore! Trust Software, which recently shipped Trusts & Wills. As its name suggests, Trusts & Wills aims to help estate planning lawyers crank out said documents for their clients.
Covering the District of Columbia and every state except Louisiana, Trusts & Wills features HotDocs-based templates that walk you through a series of questions. The company emphatically states that these templates are much more advanced than "canned forms." The company also claims that any lawyer can use them — even those without much estate planning experience. HotDocs is hidden from view so you also don't need any document assembly experience. You do need a pulse though.
Trusts & Wills includes templates for joint trusts, reciprocal trusts, A/B trusts, QTIPs, probate avoidance trusts, QDOT, gifts, debt forgiveness, special needs trusts, pet trusts, charitable foundations, family pots, per stripes, unequal distributions, delay trusts, generation-skipping trusts, pour-over wills, power-of-attorney, marital property agreement, living wills, codicils, amendments, model letters (including CYA letters for funding and holding original documents), revocation of trust, appointment of co-trustee, transfer documents, and much more.
Trusts & Wills requires Windows. In the preferences, you can elect which terms to use (e.g., settlor or trustor), whether to use familiar or traditional language, and whether to use unitrust or net income. Unlike most software, licensing is relatively simple — you can choose between a single-user version priced at $995 or a multiple user version priced at $1,990 that everyone in your office can use. Learn more about Trusts & Wills.
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