What Information Should Be Included in a Will?

If you are unsure of where to start when making a will, our estate planning lawyers are ready to assist you. We help our clients create complete wills that are legally binding so that they do not have to worry about their families fighting over assets once they pass away. When you are ready to make a will of your own, you need to know what should be included and how you can be sure that you are leaving nothing important to chance.

What Do I Need to Make a Will?

In order to make a will, you need to do an inventory of all of your assets, including any digital ones. You also need important documents that are related to these assets, like property deeds, insurance policy information, and anything relating to your existing bank and retirement accounts.

Now you need to decide who these assets go to when you pass away. Some accounts make this easy, with transfer-on-death rules that allow you to pick a beneficiary that will get the account when you pass away. Life insurance policies also have beneficiaries listed.

As for everything else, you will need to decide who gets what. Then you need to put that information in a will along with your final wishes. You can tell your family who you want to be the executor, the person in charge of your estate. You can also tell them your preferences about end-of-life care and your funeral. Doing all this can help eliminate any confusion and prevent your family from fighting over assets.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Make a Will?

You are not required to get a lawyer when you make an estate plan, but doing this requires a lot of work. You need to gather a lot of documents together, make a lot of decisions, and be sure that your will is actually legally binding. Our lawyers can help you with all of that.

Can I Edit This Document Later?

Of course! Life can throw you curveballs, so there is nothing that bars you from editing your will later and changing your beneficiaries or even your executor. It’s not uncommon for people to make changes due to a divorce, the death of a loved one, or the birth of a new child. For example, if you set your spouse as your executor and they pass away before you, making a change to your will now can help your family avoid confusion later. It’s never a bad idea to take another look at your will after major life events and evaluate whether or not you need to make some changes.

Schedule Your Consultation

So if you are ready to work on parts of your estate plan, we are ready to assist you. Contact the Lauterbach Law Firm and schedule a meeting with our team.