Boca Raton Family Lawyers Eric N. Klein

What Goes in a Will?

Your will could be the most important document that you create in your life. This is because it deals with the aftermath of your death. Having a will can make the process of dealing with your estate much easier for everyone that you left behind.

If you are considering drafting a will, there are certain things that you must include in it. An experienced probate attorney can be a great help to remind you what these things are.

The first thing that you must do when creating your will is to clearly identify yourself as the maker of the will, or the testator. You must also state that you are creating a will. This is generally called publication and is generally done by writing “last will and testament” on the document.

You must also revoke all previous wills and codicils. If this revocation does not appear in the will, all of your wills will be read together, and will be considered invalid at any inconsistencies. Revoking previous wills can make the process of probate much easier.

You must then demonstrate your ability to dispose of your property freely and willingly.

Your will must end with your signature and the date in the presence of two disinterested witnesses. This means that the witnesses cannot be beneficiaries in your will. In some states even the spouse of a beneficiary cannot be a witness.

It is very important that your signature come at the very end of the will. If it does not, any subsequent text will be considered invalid. If there is enough text after your signature, it could lead to your entire will being considered invalid.

Speak with a Boca Raton Family Attorney

There is a lot that goes into creating a will. If you are considering making a will, contact the Boca Raton family law attorneys of Eric N. Klein & Associates at 561.353.2800.