I think as soon as you're married it's a good idea to get wills prepared - if you meet a sudden, untimely demise, it'll be much easier for your spouse to deal with things if you have your affairs in order (and vice versa).Couple of quick questions for the community.
When do you start preparing for this ? After you got married or after you got kids ?
How much does a lawyer charge to prepare your will and other matters related to estate planning ? I have looked at those do-it-yourself kit available at Staples but I think this is an area where hiring a professional is money well-spent.
A lawyer's fees for "mirror" wills for a couple shouldn't cost more than $500 or so, depending on the area of the country you're in. Bear in mind that these fees aren't standardized, so it pays to call around and get a few quotes. It'll cost a lot more than a "kit", but it'll generally help to avoid problems after you're gone - lawyers use complicated language, but the reason for that is (in part, at least) to avoid any ambiguity in the meaning of what's in the documents.