Do I Need a Lawyer to Make a Will
If you are over 18 and of sound mind, you should be entitled to make a will without the help of a lawyer. Different states have different laws and it is important that you find out the specifics for your state and follow them if you are trying to make a will on your own. Typically, a will needs to fulfill the following requirements:
It must be signed by at least two witnesses who have watched the owner (a person who has written their own will) sign the will. The witnesses do not need to read the will. In most states, the witnesses must be people who are not named to inherit anything in the will. Some states allow “holographic” wills that do not require any witnesses. It must be dated and signed by the owner of the will. A will does not have to be notarized to be legal but in many states, when a will is notarized, it can help to avoid time consuming, and sometimes complicated, court proceedings after the owner of the will has died.
Basic Will
Many people do not need a lawyer’s help to write a basic will. People whose financial situations and assets are pretty straight forward often just need to figure out things such as who or what to leave a home, investments, and personal items to, and if the owner has minor children, it should name a guardian to take care of them if the owner dies before they are 18 or older.
Some states allow for wills to be recorded or filed but there is no requirement that says that these things need to be done.
Most basic wills do not involve complicated legal rules. Many people find that they can write a will to meet their needs with only the help of a good book or software program.
If you are writing your own will, it is important to keep in mind that if you have questions about your particular situation that your resources do not provide the answers for, you may need to ask a good lawyer that is licensed to practice law in the state you live in for definitive answers to your questions.
Can My Will Be Challenged After I Die
Aside from in dramatic movies and television shows, few wills are actually challenged in court. When they are, they are often challenged by a spouse or other close relative that feels they were cheated out of a share of the deceased person’s money and/or other assets.
If someone is trying to invalidate an entire will after the owner has died, they must go to court to prove that the owner was not of sound mind when they wrote it, that the owner was unduly coerced when they wrote it, and/or that one or more of the signatures was forged.
Be informed of U.S. legal information and news with American Legal Care.