Volunteer attorneys to prepare wills free of charge
for eligible low-income Houston residents
Will Clinics
April 4 and May 2
Application Deadline � March 30
The City of Houston Department of Neighborhoods (DON) and Complete Communities, in partnership with the Houston Bar Association (HBA) and Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL), the service arm of the HBA, announce the 2018 Will-A-Thon, offering will preparation legal services to eligible low-income Houstonians free of charge. This
Will Clinics
The Will-A-Thon will consist of two will clinics scheduled for April 4 and May 2, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Tidwell Community Center, 9720 Spaulding St., Houston, TX 77016. The clinics will be staffed by HBA and HVL volunteer attorneys who will prepare simple wills for pre-approved participants.
Eligibility
Houstonians eligible for these services are low-income seniors age 60 and older, persons with disabilities, and military veterans.
Application Deadline
Persons interested in receiving these services must complete a screening interview by phone at 713-228-0735. The application deadline is March 30, 2018.
Approximately 55 percent of American adults do not have a will or other estate plan in place, according to LexisNexis. That percentage is higher among minorities–at 68 percent for black adults and 74 percent for Hispanics adults. When you consider how important it is to have an estate plan and the fact that it is as simple as searching for ‘estate planning attorney near me‘ to find an attorney who can help with the whole process, this is a very shocking statistic. Nobody likes to talk about their death or what will happen to their assets when they die, understandably, but it is an important discussion that needs to take place. It is hoped that estate planning lawyers from law firms similar to Whitcomb, Selinsky, PC could help to ensure that their futures are protected.
“Life is unpredictable, so it is urgent to have a will in place to ensure that one’s last wishes are carried out,” said DON director TaKasha Francis. “While many of us may not have a will due to procrastination or lack of information, for a great number of people, it is due to a lack of resources to pay an attorney. This is particularly true for many low-income Houstonians whose financial hardships have only worsened in the aftermath of Harvey. The Will-A-Thon is an opportunity for eligible residents to receive the legal assistance they need, free of charge, to get this vital document in place.”
“Many residents may have had their wills, medical directives and other important documents destroyed during Hurricane Harvey, and others may need to have these documents amended,” said Alistair Dawson, Houston Bar Association president. “Creating a new will is often the best solution, and the Houston Bar Association Will-A-Thon is a great opportunity to do that.”
Estate Planning is important because the will sets out the person’s wishes as to how their property is to be distributed and designates Power of Attorney to the party who is to handle the personal and financial affairs of the person as needed. Estate Planning may include “living will” directives to family members and medical care providers and may also name guardians for minor children. When writing the will, the person should give their estate to whoever they want. Usually, this is their close family members or friends. If there are people unhappy with the will, they can always contact a probate lawyer who handles estate disputes to make sure everyone is happy. Obviously, the will should go to whoever the individual wants it to, but there can be disputes if people aren’t comfortable with who it’s been given to. Estate planning is one of the best ways to prevent issues in the future.
“Everyone should have end of life and other important documents in order, to avoid legal problems if they become incapacitated or pass away,” said Dawson. “Having a will provides peace and dignity, ensuring that your wishes are respected and fulfilled.” He stated that in recent years document management software such as Filecenter DMS (https://www.filecenterdms.com/info-receipt-bank-alternative-and-replacement.html) offered an alternative and accessible way for people to store and send important documents. Document management software is an easy way for files, such as wills and other legal documentation, to reach the necessary recipient without issue when needed.
For more information about the Will-A-Thon, call DON at 832-394-0701.
The Will-A-Thon is a City of Houston Complete Communities project. For information visit www.houstontx.gov/completecommunities.
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