Born and raised in Mason County, Lyle Terryn has spent most of his 72 years in the community he loves. Like many seniors, Lyle recently faced the significant challenge of managing estate planning on a limited budget.

Traditional legal services can be a substantial burden for those with a fixed income. Lyle, who has to carefully manage his expenses due to constantly increasing living costs—”Every year it goes up,” he explained—cringed at the thought of the possible price tag to create a will.

Fortunately, one of Lyle’s sisters told him about FreeWill, a free will planning tool provided by the Community Foundation.

Initially, Lyle worried about the complexity of the process even though his goals were pretty simple. He wanted to name his beneficiaries and ensure that his assets–right down to his collection of tools–would be distributed according to his wishes.

Lyle found that FreeWill made the process of creating a plan surprisingly manageable. After creating his will in a little less than an hour, he remarked, “I thought this was going to be more complicated.”

Lyle plans to visit the FreeWill site again to create a Living Will (Advance Healthcare Directive) and Durable Financial Power of Attorney, also free of charge.

He “definitely appreciates” the Community Foundation for providing FreeWill to him and his neighbors at no cost. He is excited to share his positive experience with other seniors in the community, including his sister, who is considering her own estate planning. “I guarantee, when I go to see my sister, I’m going to show her,” Lyle said.

Ready to make your plan? You can create your will for free from home by going to FreeWill. Or you can access FreeWill at your local library. The Community Foundation has partnered with the staff at the Mason County District Library to offer information about FreeWill to patrons. The library has computers available for use, the ability to print, and a friendly staff willing to answer questions about using FreeWill (not legal advice).

The money Lyle saved by using FreeWill will go toward his living expenses. He is enjoying the peace of mind that comes with having a plan for the future and his family.