Which Contract is Best: Professional vs. Online Download?

We can shop, we bank, we even keep in touch with family online.  The internet and smartphones have provided so many conveniences in our everyday lives, we hardly have a reason to be curious anymore, in the age of Google.  While this is often a great convenience and the internet can be a great resource to assist with a task we are working on, it can be a problem if we rely solely on the internet to solve our problem.  This is the case with letting Google be your attorney. While the internet can provide background on your legal issue and connect you with local attorneys, it should not make us believe everyone can be their own attorney.  I have seen problems that arise with contracts written on napkins and one-page wills. Every single time, it is more costly to fix a problem from a poorly written/ incomplete contract than it is to get the correct document(s) drafted at the very beginning.  You are exposing yourself to great risk in trusting legal contracts found online and deciding for yourself that this fits your unique circumstances.  

Every state, Iowa included, has unique requirements that apply to seemingly common legal transactions.  Real estate contracts must contain specific language regarding property taxes, inspections, abstract and title clearing and forfeiture proceedings.  If one or more of these provisions are missing, it is possible the buyer/ seller have a stressful, time-consuming, expensive mess on their hands. In Iowa, wills must be witnessed and notarized properly to be accepted in probate court.  When starting your own business, the operating agreement is drafted to protect the owners in the future should things not go as you plan. It is easy to think that your real estate transaction or business plan will go perfectly and everyone will be singing “kum ba yah” at the signing table, but what if something doesn’t go exactly as you planned?  What to do now?

This is the reason to ask an Iowa licensed attorney to assist you from the very beginning.  Share with your attorney what you would like to accomplish. The experienced attorney will be able to guide you in the protections that you NEED based upon what the law is and you will benefit from the attorney’s previous experience.  Properly drafted contracts provide what each party should do in the present, but often also provide procedures should the parties disagree on an issue in the future.  

Your property, family and assets are valuable.  Hire a legal professional and get your contract right the first time.  

What are the Benefits of Professionally Drafted Contracts?

• Your Contract Will Be Legally Valid: If you use the free online form, your transaction may go just fine, or it may not.  I do not want to appear before a judge and share that the contract my client relied upon to sell their home is 17 words written on a napkin.  Attorneys should never guarantee a specific outcome to a client, but if the proper contracts are in place, I can promise you have a foundation with which an experienced attorney can advocate for your interests in a legal dispute.  If you choose to bypass professional advice, you should be aware that you risk an uncertain outcome at best.
  
  
• You’ll Understand The Details: Contracts are often written in a way that’s confusing for most of us to understand.  As with anything in life, from riding a bike, to swinging a golf club, we become better at something we do more often.  The same is true in drafting/ reading
  “Legalese.”  If you are provided a contract from the other party, it is always wise to ask an attorney to review the contents with you prior to signing.  This allows you to understand exactly what you are agreeing to and provides an opportunity to revise the document prior to signing.
  
  
• An Attorney is on Your Side: An experienced attorney knows the law and will draft your contract for your legal protection and benefit.  It’s in their interest to craft a document that will best suit your situation and can protect you in the future.  An added benefit is that you will have established a relationship with a trusted advisor that you can reach out to with questions should issues arise throughout the matter.

It’s true, you can get many legal documents/contracts for free off the internet.  But it’s a risk we cannot recommend with so much (money, businesses and lives) at stake.  Make the responsible choice and ask an attorney to draft or review a professional contract for you.  You’ll be glad you did.

If you’d like to speak with an experienced attorney today, call Danilson Law at (515)512-5500 or fill out our contact form online to book your consultation.  We look forward to meeting you.