Filing fees and court costs for probating a will differ based on where the case must be filed. For example, the filing fee to probate a will is about $57.00 in Jefferson County and $47.00 in Madison County, Alabama.
Do I Need a Lawyer to Make a Will in Alabama? No. You can make your own will in Alabama, using Nolo's WillMaker & Trust.
To have a valid will in Alabama, the document must be witnessed and signed by at least two people. Despite the fact that it is handwritten by the testator, or the person making the will, a handwritten will in Alabama must still be properly signed and witnessed to be considered a valid.
The typical lawyer in Alabama charges between $83 and $292 per hour. Costs vary depending on the type of lawyer, so review our lawyer rates table to find out the average cost to hire an attorney in Alabama.
If you die without a will in Alabama, your children will receive an "intestate share" of your property. The size of each child's share depends on how many children you have and whether or not you are married.
If you die in Alabama without a will, your assets will go to your closest relatives. Not all assets are involved — only those that would have passed through a will are affected by Alabama's intestate succession laws. Usually that includes only assets that you own in your own name.
A last will and testament in Alabama must be in writing and signed by the testator (the person writing the will), or at the testator's direction and in his or her presence. The will also has to be witnessed and signed by at least two people.
The law says: Every will shall be in writing signed by the testator or in the testator's name by some other person in the testator's presence and by his direction, and shall be signed by at least two persons each of whom witnessed either the signing or the testator's acknowledgment of the signature or of the will.
The maker of the will, known as the Testator, must be at least 18 years of age and of sound mind. After making an online will in Alabama, you must print it out and sign it. The state of Alabama does not allow digital-only wills.
As a general rule, you can expect to pay an attorney $100 to $400 per hour, though higher fees are common, and lower fees are sometimes possible.
Attorneys can easily demand thousands of dollars and charge $200 or $300 per hour to take your case. Some charge upto 40% off the top of any settlement or verdict you get. So if you are injured in an accident, your lawyer may get almost half of everything you are entitled to.
Attorney vs Lawyer: Comparing Definitions Lawyers are people who have gone to law school and often may have taken and passed the bar exam. Attorney has French origins, and stems from a word meaning to act on the behalf of others. The term attorney is an abbreviated form of the formal title 'attorney at law'.