Mama Bear Legal Forms Review: Pros And Cons

Mama Bear Legal Forms is a low-cost legal document preparation website that can help you prepare the documents you need in the even of an emergency - specifically designed for parents and college students.

Preparing health and financial powers of attorney documents is probably the furthest thing from your mind when you're preparing for college.

But you may need these documents so that your parents or another trusted adult can make decisions for you in the event of an emergency. Here's what you need to know about Mama Bear Legal Forms.

What Is Mama Bear Legal Forms?

Omaha, Nebraska-based Mama Bear Legal Forms provides online estate planning legal forms. The company isn’t a law firm and doesn’t provide legal advice. However, the forms on the site have been reviewed by lawyers, and they cover most simple use cases.

For example, the forms meet basic emergency planning needs for young adults, seniors, and parents with young children. 

What Does It Offer?

Mama Bear Legal Forms has three legal form bundles, an option to add letters of directive, and an app to store documents.

Young Adult Power of Attorney

When you turn 18, you become a legal adult, and privacy laws may prevent your parents from knowing about your health or financial situation. This bundle is designed for college students to give their parents the power to make health or financial decisions for them in the event of an emergency. Your parents might be helping you out with your educational expenses, but have no right to learn about your health status unless you give them that permission.

This bundle includes:

• Health Power of Attorney Documents: Allow a designated adult to make health decisions for you if you become incapacitated.
• Finance Power of Attorney Documents: Allow a designated adult to make financial decisions for you if you become incapacitated.
• HIPAA Release: Allow a designated adult to see your health records.
• FERPA Waiver: Allow your college to share your educational information.

Senior Adult Power of Attorney

The forms included in the Senior Adult Power of Attorney bundle mirror the Young Adult forms, but it excludes the FERPA Waiver. While younger adults are likely to choose their parents as designated power of attorney, seniors will want to think through the decisions more carefully. They may want to designate a spouse as a primary and a child as a secondary power of attorney. Additionally, they may have to decide which children (if any) should have access to their health records. Mama Bear helps you understand the real-world implications of the decisions you’re making, so you can make the right choice for yourself.

Legal Will & Testament

Mama Bear’s final package is designed for parents who need a simple will, and health and financial power of attorney documents. You’ll be able to designate a guardian for your children and designate health and financial powers of attorney. The step-by-step guidance makes it simple to complete estate planning documents for most people. As soon as you have dependents or assets, getting a simple will together is a must, and Mama Bear makes this very easy.

The will can only be updated for 180 days before you have to pay for an update. The power of attorney documents can be updated at any time.

Website to Build Forms and App To Store Them

No matter which forms you buy, you can always use the Mama Bear Website to build forms customized to your needs. The website guides you through a quick process (typically ten minutes) to build your documents. It also stores them on an app and allows you to update the forms at any time. You will get detailed instructions on the process for ensuring that the forms are legally signed.

Are There Any Fees?

The Young Adult and Senior Adult packages cost $79 each. The Final Will & Testament package costs $159 plus $90 for a spouse.

How Does Mama Bear Legal Forms Compare?

Mama Bear Legal Forms costs less than industry leader LegalZoom, and it offers a very good experience tailored to young adults, seniors, and parents. It truly takes less than 30 minutes to create a will and the various power of attorney documents.

However, Mama Bear doesn’t give you easy access to an attorney for review. Many of the leaders in this space, including Quicken WillMaker, Trust & Will, and GoodTrust make it easy to get a legal review from an attorney before you sign your documents.

Overall, Mama Bear Legal Forms offers a good product at a good price. However, anyone who wants legal advice should opt for an alternative.

How Do I Open A Mama Bear Legal Forms Account?

To get started, provide your name, email address, and a unique password. You’ll have to enter your credit card information immediately (there are no free trials). Once you’ve done this, you can create the forms that you’ve purchased. 

Is It Safe And Secure?

Mama Bear Legal Forms includes important personal and financial details, online safety and security are very important. It uses secure payment processing, so that poses no concerns beyond the typical concerns associated with online shopping. It is concerning that the only forms of authentication are email and password.

For such important documents, a second form of authentication would bring peace of mind to users. While your identity has already been stolen, your will or power of attorney documents are highly sensitive. You don’t want those documents ending up in the hands of bad actors. Overall, Mama Bear Legal Forms follows basic internet security procedures, but it could benefit from some information security enhancements.

How Do I Contact Mama Bear Legal Forms?

You can email customer care at customercare@mamabearlegalforms.com or call 888-441-9455. Mama Bear Legal Forms is headquartered at 10045 Scott Circle, Omaha, Nebraska, 68122.

Is It Worth It?

If you haven’t created power of attorney documents and basic estate planning documents, you need to get on it. Mama Bear Legal Forms makes it simple to create the documents you need. Anyone who doesn’t have their documents completed should consider Mama Bear Legal Forms. If you would prefer to have an attorney review your documents, go with a local attorney or use one of Mama Bear Legal’s online competitors. Either way, get your estate planning documents done. 

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