6 Useful Tips On How To Write A Perfect Last Will
Have you ever wondered what will happen to your possessions and loved ones when you die? It is important that we all think about this and plan for it because the only thing worse than not thinking about death would be if we were unprepared. That’s why the last will is so important. A last will provide your heirs with instructions on how they should distribute your belongings after your death, which can help make their lives easier in such trying times. But it also helps them by providing guidance on funeral arrangements and guardianship of any children who may still be living at home. It also ensures that there are no legal disputes among family members over what rightfully belongs to whom. In short, the last will is an essential document for every individual. This article will give you just six tips on how to write a perfect last will. You may already be aware of some of these things, but the purpose here is to confirm what you know and introduce one or two new ideas through well-chosen words so that it all comes together in an easy-to-read article.
1. You Don’t Have To Be A Lawyer To Write This Document
Many people are under the impression that you need to be a lawyer in order to write a legal document such as a will. While having knowledge of the law definitely has its own benefits when it comes to writing any sort of legal document, it’s certainly not required when writing a will.
On the other hand, if you need to have a will written and want to do it just right, hiring a professional estate planning service is a great option. There are many services that can help you write a last will without any legal expertise, so take advantage of them if you want to save money or don’t want to deal with the legal system.
2. Be Specific With Your Gifts
If you were to simply write “I leave everything to my husband, John,” then your spouse would be free to do whatever he wanted with the things that you owned prior to your death, and wouldn’t that be a shame? You probably worked hard for all those wonderful things, you might as well make sure they go to your loved ones who deserve them the most. You can also include specific instructions for individual items like “I leave my silver tea set to my sister Marie.” This would be a good way of helping your heirs remember which tea set is meant for her without any misunderstandings.
3. Include Your Beneficiaries And Protect Your Family
You may already have a family lawyer to help you with your last will, but it is better for this document to not be the only place where you list all of your beneficiaries. Make sure that everything is clear and prepares everyone working on your behalf for the distribution process once you pass away. It’s also a good idea to say something about your loved ones who you have left behind, like “I leave my entire estate to my children, Thomas and Mary.” This will give them some emotional strength during this difficult period.
4. Be Precise With Your Assets And Debts
You may already know which bank accounts are yours, how much money is in them, and who the account holders are. But for reasons explained earlier, you should make sure that your heirs know exactly what they’re getting. This might be a good time to do some housekeeping and start from scratch by closing old accounts and opening new ones in their names. Keep an updated list of all these transactions so that nothing is forgotten. It’s also important to include any debts and loans you owe, especially if there is a possibility that your heirs might have to pay some of these costs once you’re gone.
5. Keep Your Funeral Plans To Yourself
We don’t mean this in the sense that they should be kept secret from your loved ones, rather, you should not confuse your funeral plans with your last will. For example, it may be tempting to include statements like “I leave my coffin to my son” or “I want my ashes scattered at the hill behind our house.” But these are not really appropriate because your family members do not have any control over that part of the process. They are only responsible for the distribution of your personal belongings, which you should specify in your will.
6. Don’t Forget To Sign And Date It!
You’ll need two witnesses who are not related to you by blood or marriage to sign your will as well. These people should be above the age of majority (18 years old) and should not benefit from your last will in any way (this means they shouldn’t be beneficiaries, executors, etc.). After everyone has signed their names on the last page, make sure that you date it as well, keeping the original copy in a safe place (preferably in a fireproof lockbox or safety deposit box). You can always make copies to give to different people but keep the original safe.
Now you have your own perfect last will that reflects who you are and how you want things to be handled after you’re gone. It might take some time, but it will be completely worth it when you see everything in order and your loved ones are taken care of.
