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Without much money, do I need a will?
Los Angeles Times
|December 07, 2025
Dear Liz: I have less than $5,000 in my savings account, a 12-year-old car and a mortgage with a $200,000 balance. I am 67 and can't decide whether to make a will. I live alone and have no children.
I have three siblings, but am only close to one. I hate to spend money on an attorney when I can use that money to cover funeral expenses. I'm leery of using an online will service. Can you recommend an inexpensive way to get my affairs in order?
Answer: Anyone who can afford to pay for estate planning help probably should. This is a complicated area, and it's easy to make mistakes that can make settling your estate unnecessarily costly or difficult.
If you can't afford to pay for help, though, there are low-cost and free options you can explore.
Start by creating an advanced directive, which details what kind of care you want should you become incapacitated and can't speak for yourself. You can create one for free at PrepareForYourCare.org.
Every adult should have an advance directive, also known as a health care power of attorney.
This story is from the December 07, 2025 edition of Los Angeles Times.
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