Estate Planning

One clear thought to have in the front of your mind when you are preparing each provision of your will is this - have I created a will contest? That is, have I specified an act which is likely to lead to one or more of my relatives, or friends, or others to contest my will? Naturally, it is bad enough to be in probate court, probating your will.

Most people know that wills are legal documents that specify directions for the disposition of property after the death of the person who makes the will. Wills may also specify certain other instructions or wishes which can be followed by those people who are appointed to administer the estate of the person who dies.

Each state has a certain number of requirements that operate to specify how a valid will may be prepared and what steps should be followed to prepare a will which can be probated at a later date. The purpose of these seemingly strict rules is to ensure that the person creating the will follows certain formal requirements and appreciates the seriousness of the legal act they are performing.

There are three ways to distribute estates after you or a loved one passes away.

What happens if a person wishes to leave nothing to one of their heirs, e.g., one of their three sons? Many states' laws assume, in the absence of naming the son in the will, that the son was forgotten.

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