If you’re thinking about writing your own will, there’s no harm in doing so. Writing your own last will and testament as early as you can and as prepared as you are is always a good idea. It’s better to write your will when you can rather than never have the chance later.
You do want to know where your properties and assets exactly go after your death so as to prevent confusion within the family or people you’re leaving behind. Creating a will needs a straightforward approach observing your state’s rules while maintaining your wishes and grants.
Creating your will can be easy if you have a straightforward estate and properties. However, if you have a complicated one, drafting your will can be tedious and may require an attorney expert in the field. If you’re wondering about where and how to start with your will, here are a few tips and guides to help you:
Know your state’s laws
Before you start drafting your will, research about your state’s rules—this is important because laws regarding wills and testaments vary from state to state. For instance, some states would require two witnesses to sign a typed will while others require three witnesses. Others find written wills to be only valid.
The rules are different in every state so before you write your will, it’s would be better to research your state’s laws to ensure the requirements that would make your will valid and not a waste.
Get professional help
As mentioned earlier, seeking professional help to sort out your too complicated financial situation is best advised. Yes, it will set you back more or less a thousand dollars but if that’s just a minuscule percentage of your finances and assets, it’s worth investing on if it means drafting a simplified will that should make it easier for everyone involved when the time comes that you pass on.
Identify your heirs
To whom do you trust your assets, properties, and finances with? Determine who are your beneficiaries, your heirs. Be specific when it comes to your beneficiaries to avoid confusions. For instance, leaving a percentage of your company to your daughter, if you have two daughters from your first marriage and one daughter in your second marriage, which daughter are you referring to?
If you have a strained relationship with your spouse, you may want to reach out with a lawyer regarding this matter since in some states, spouses have a legal right to inherit any if not all of the other’s properties and/or assets.
Don’t forget to have witnesses sign the will
Writing a will requires more than your signature. Depending on which state you reside, they could require two or more witnesses to sign the will. In choosing witnesses, it is important that at least two of your witnesses are not a part of the beneficiaries in the will otherwise the Will will be void.
Ensure everything is right
It is clearly important to make no mistakes in creating your will. Why? Because you’re no longer around to correct any errors or confusions. One of the most important things to keep in mind when writing a will are:
- Signing the will
- Updating the will (if you wish to make any changes)
- Having witnesses sign the will
- Informing someone you trust (i.e. your attorney) where the will is kept safe
Your death will leave a hole in your family, friends, and loved ones’ hearts. You don’t wish to give them a headache and add complications to your loss just because of an error in your will, do you?
Writing a will can be tedious since there are a handful of rules to follow and assessing your financial situations and assets can be a pain. But leaving your loved ones with a simple will that details how and where you wish your assets and properties be distributed can make matters easier for them and for you.
If you have any more questions and concerns regarding writing your will, do consult with an attorney expert in the field.
Legal Disclaimer: This article is written for informational purposes only and not intended as an official legal advice. Reach out with a reputable lawyer for more understanding and information about your concern.
About the author: A huge fan of crime tv shows and films, Chie Suarez also has a knack for writing. She writes for Barwick Boitano Lawyers, a firm of lawyers and legal team offering expert advice and legal solutions to clients in Parramatta and Sydney’s western suburbs since 1991.