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Tuesday, March 18th
Nolo technically got their start in 1971 when they published their first book about how to do your own divorce in California. In 1980 they published a do-it-yourself legal software called WillMaker, and in 2011 they joined forces with another company and became The Nolo Network.
Provides DIY legal solutions
Their mission is to help small businesses and consumers find answers to their everyday legal and business questions. Whether it be through books, legal forms, or software, Nolo aims to help you take care of your legal matters on your own.
Could use an update
Our initial impression of Nolo was that their website could use a bit of cleaning up. It's not the most simplified or updated-looking platform, but we also realize this doesn't mean they aren't professional or credible. They have three options for creating your living trust, the first of which includes an ebook outlining everything you need to know about living trusts, plus the downloadable forms to make your own (not valid in Louisiana). This costs $29.99. For $34.99 you also could purchase forms to amend your living trust or revoke it.
Overwhelming
It feels a little overwhelming to have a whole book about living trusts and figure out how to do it on your own rather than have a step-by-step guide to take you through the process online quickly. Overall, Nolo just feels a little more complicated than their competitors. You'll no doubt get a plethora of information on all the nuances involved in living trusts and different family and estate situations, but this will be unnecessary for many people.
Helpful legal articles
If you need some guidance about a particular legal topic, Nolo has compiled a thorough list of legal articles to help you out. This would be useful for just about anyone, so we especially recommend reading through their "Wills, Trusts, and Probates” articles to help you grasp everything you need to know about creating your living trust.
Needs improvement
Nolo has been featured by Business Insider, Kiplinger, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today. They hold an "A+” rating from the Better Business Bureau and have good customer reviews. But, compared to our highest rated legal service companies, Nolo has a lot fewer reviews for us to go off of. We found less than 100, which tells us that this company isn't nearly as popular as some others. They also had some mixed feedback, so there are areas they could improve with difficulties reaching customer service, a little bit more clarity on the wording of the forms, and some glitches with accessing files.
Average choice
We don't want to give the impression that Nolo is a bad choice for living trusts, because it's not. Their process just requires a bit more time and learning than what some other companies offer. Once you get the book and sort out your affairs, you're likely to have a solid living trust to use going forward. However, when there are easier, step-by-step options for creating legal documents elsewhere that may even cost less money, it's hard not to want to take that route. Because of this, Nolo has earned an average rating from us.
While making a living trust may not be on the top of your to-do list, it should be. Not to be confused with a living will, a living trust allows you to manage and distribute your assets both during your lifetime and after you pass away. It goes into effect as soon as it is signed and can give you and your loved ones peace of mind knowing that no one will have to worry about going through a probate process.
Creating a living trust online has seen a significant surge in popularity over the last few years due to several reasons. In addition to being both convenient and inexpensive, online living trusts are easily accessible when needed. In fact, this method of estate planning has revolutionized the way individuals protect their assets and plan for the distribution of their wealth after their passing.
Online living trusts let you create these legal documents from the comfort of your own home, eliminating the need for multiple visits to attorneys' offices and streamlining the entire process.
Another reason people are drawn to online living trust services is the cost factor. Traditional estate planning services can be prohibitively expensive, often with high attorney fees and administrative costs. By contrast, online living trusts provide an affordable alternative, letting you create a legally binding document at a fraction of the cost.
Regardless of your income status, it's important to save your family both time and money by getting things in order with a living trust. Not only will you be able to choose who distributes your property in the event that you become disabled or die, but you'll remain in complete control of all your assets in the meantime.
Another reason to take this legal step is to avoid bank issues, not have to wait on a judge, and protect your own privacy while ensuring that your assets are legally accounted for.
We'll be the first to acknowledge that end-of-life affairs are not fun to think about, let alone spend time taking care of. However, getting it over with will provide immeasurable relief for you and your loved ones and it's much easier than you'd think. There are fantastic online platforms that will walk you through all the steps to creating a living trust without spending hundreds of dollars. Real lawyers will verify the validity of your documents and ensure they meet all necessary legal requirements for a fraction of the cost you might find elsewhere.
Many online legal services have round-the-clock access to customer service agents who will make sure you're taken care of and confident with the process of creating your living trust. When deciding which company to use, take the following things into consideration:
Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best companies to help you create a living trust. We hope this information helps you take care of your end-of-life affairs without any stress or hassle!
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