As we emerge from the isolation, distrust and fear that have been an unfortunate by-product of that nasty virus that came out of Wuhan in 2019, one positive outcome I’ve observed is that we now have clear and unequivocal evidence that real human interaction is critical to our well-being – real conversations, face-to-face, with real people, real experiences shared in the real world, real expertise and solutions provided based on review of real circumstances.
So it was with some amusement I read this recent article on The Inside Hook, titled “Why You Should Get An E-Will, Even If You Are Young“.* If you read the article, you may note that it doesn’t really say anything of substance – just a lot of oversimplified talking points that give zero insight into what any of the real legal and practical implications may be to you or your family. (*e-Wills are not recognized under Wisconsin statutes, as an electronic signature is not a valid manner to execute a testamentary document. Interestingly, the article does not call attention to the question of validity.)
And, you can be assured, there are lawyers and law-firms all over this country who are just as excited about the prospect of these online sources taking away their Wills and Trusts business – because it means more business and a lot more billings later. When the grim reaper visits and those e-Wills and e-Trusts come home to roost, real people will experience real delays, headaches, frustration, and financial loss, as real lawyers take a real chunk out of the estate in a real probate court proceeding.
For our part, we are not so excited to read these articles. In fairness, yes, it does mean that these software companies are siphoning some clients away, and we would rather reach more people than less. But more importantly, as I recognize the biggest value that I can bring to my clients is the insight to put in place tools that truly insulate their families from the losses, conflicts, and frustrations of poor and inadequate planning, these siren songs concern me because next generations are being lulled into giving more and more credence to the “it’s as easy as a click, click, and your credit card information is already saved in your browser” pitch. I know that these purveyors are providing false security suggesting that somehow doing the quick and easy virtual version will be just as good as providing their family with the caring and thoughtfully planned legacy they deserve.
I have had plenty of conversations with would-be clients who determined that what I was explaining was just “too complicated,” or they “don’t “want to deal with all that,” or concluded “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal,” or, truly my favorite exit strategy “I think they’ll figure it out.”
We spend tens of thousands of dollars on sports, books, courses, tutoring, counseling, etc. – all to try to help our children to have a better future. If you’re done caring about how they will fare in the future, well, fair enough. Perhaps evading reality and convincing yourself that virtual is just as good, is, in fact, good enough. They will be left with “the hard way,” they will figure it out, and others will surely be there to leverage the chaos and help transition your money away from your loved ones. But it could have been better and it could have been easier, had we just dealt with reality up front.
I’ll be sticking to the old-fashioned notions that we have a better gauge of character when we look someone in the eye and shake their hand, and that I would rather have a person with experience, expertise and insight provide me with solutions, than rely on an algorithm to spit out a generic answer to limited and oversimplified input – especially if my family’s well-being is at stake.
For those of you who have grown up more immersed in the technologies, and believe the ways of us old-timers are obsolete, just consider that the huckster and the con are universal human archetypes, and not tied to the technologies or conventions de la mode. If you’re ready to go all in and trust whatever someone is pitching as the best, newest, easiest way to virtually solve a real world situation with just a click and a credit card … well, I’ve got some swampland in Florida you may be interested in.
It may be well to remember that there are universal laws of our greater Creation at play – Somewhere, somehow, someone always has to pay for that short-cut. Put another way by T. Harv Eker: “If you are willing to do only what’s easy, Life will be hard.”
Is that the legacy you’ll leave for your children or grand-children?