Use These Three Tips As You Write Your Will

It may be uncomfortable for you to think about writing your own will. However, when you take the time to create a will on your own, you can protect your loved ones from disagreements and other problems after you pass away. Here are some tips that can help you write a solid will that will hold up after your death.

Know What May Not Be Included

You might want to put all of your assets in your will, but it is important that you know what may and may not be included in the document. For example, if you have a life insurance policy that lists a child as the beneficiary, you cannot name your spouse as the beneficiary of that policy in your will. Likewise, if you own a property jointly with someone, they will automatically own the property outright after your death no matter what you put in your will.

If you want to change beneficiaries or leave a property to someone other than the current co-owner, you cannot use the will to do so. Instead, take the proper steps to make those changes as part of your other estate-planning activities.

Pick A Guardian For Your Kids

One thing you might ignore when writing your will is explicitly naming someone to look after your minor children in the event of your death. You may not think you'll pass away until your children are adults or think that there will be no argument about where your children should go.

However, if you leave this information out of your will, your children might be at the mercy of a judge who will assign a legal guardian to them. The person the judge chooses might not be someone you are comfortable with, so take the time to name a guardian in your will so that your children can live with someone you trust.

Talk to Your Family Members

While your will reflects your last wishes and you have the right to make your own decisions, it is a good idea to keep members of your family involved as you complete the document. You might want to tell them about provisions they may not approve of now, so that you can talk things out with them now instead of leaving them to feel surprised or unhappy when you pass away and the will is read.

Now that you have some suggestions that will help you as you write your will, use the tips laid out in this article to do so. Be sure to talk to an estate planning lawyer who can ensure that you've done everything possible to craft an iron-clad will.