Wills - costs - and mirror wills
Public Trust charges $280 for a simple will, $500 for more complicated wills.
For simple wills, I like the look of ewills.co.nz which produces online wills for $100, but I haven't seen their output yet. Until further notice, I'd be happy to look over the results without charge if people use them, if you email the results to me, just to know what they produce. (There are also other online providers - I think the cheapest I found was about $45 - the same offer applies - I'd be interested to see what they produce and to know whether they are user friendly, and I'll let you know without charge whether what they have produced is 'legally okay'.)
For a will from scratch I would charge between $150 and $700 depending on complications and whether you provide information to me efficiently e.g. by email rather than by personal interview. HOWEVER, I don't provide a will-storage service - you have to make your own arrangements for keeping the original will safe. ALSO, I don't spend time witnessing the will - I send it to you with instructions for you to arrange to sign in front of two adults who are not mentioned in the will.
Mirror wills - where spouses make wills that are identical except for reversing the will-maker and executor - shouldn't cost more than a single will (in my opinion). It takes 30 seconds to reverse those details. If someone tries to charge you twice as much, just do one will and then copy it out yourself, swapping the details.
The main value that lawyers add to the will-making process is advice about how to deal with tricky situations. If you don't have a tricky situation, you don't need a lawyer's will.
Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?
The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.
Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.
We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?
-
9.5% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
-
43.5% I want to be able to choose.
-
47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
Poll: Would you take a 1.5-hour hike for a shop? 🌿🐦
Canterbury, you have a hidden treasure right on your doorstep ... though it does come with a 1.5-hour walk up the stunning Rakaia Gorge Walkway.
Along the trail you’ll find The Fantail Shop showcasing small artworks by local artisans. Even better, every purchase supports the Fantail Trust, helping protect and restore biodiversity on the north bank of the gorge.
So we’re curious: would you take a 1.5-hour hike for a shop? (And for local biodiversity, of course 🌿)
-
31.5% Yes!
-
68.5% No thank you.
Those tips on how to manage your money
It annoys a lot. I just did a bank quiz on financial well-being. The main problem is with that is they don't account for being on a pension, which supposedly accounts for extra disability costs. What comes in never quite meets what goes out. That unpaid week until next payday is quite a stretch sometimes. My home is paid for, but those bills I must meet, rates, insurances, power, and internet costs keep going up. I just discovered my phone is an expensive rip-off, a clone or copy of an S24Ultra, with no comeback now, so I either put up with it or lash out $600 or more on another, sheheit! BTW, I got a pretty good score on that quiz. The only extra bit of money I make is a little interest, but the IRS taxes the hell out of that.
Loading…
