Wills are one of the most important aspects of planning your estate, yet many times such planning is the last thing on your mind and the last thing you want to talk about. Regardless of your worries when it comes to preparing your will, it is simply something that needs to be done for the protection of your family. Wills ensure two major things: the distribution of your property in the manner in which you willed it at the time of death, and saving your family much time, money and heartache of having to probate your estate.

Creating A Will

The physical process of creating a will is not that complicated. All you really need is a piece of paper and a pen. Most hand written wills are acceptable assuming that they contain legal language such as “I, Jane Doe, being of sound mind and body hereby bequeath...” and so forth.

Met Life also offers that there is a “catchall” clause which reads “I give the remainder of my estate to…” This will give anything that you don’t have specifically noted in your will to a beneficiary. Also, it helps to have a witness’s signature and to have the paper notarized so that your children do not have to prove that you are who your signature says that you are.

Beyond the physical, there are several different things that you need to organize when creating your will. These include an inventory of your assets and your debts. Assets basically are comprised of all things that you have that are of worth. These include houses and cars, investments, and of course the sentimental items such as heirlooms and antiques.

Keep it Safe!

Your will is a very important document. Just as you would papers on your home, previous taxes, and other such important documents, you should store your will in a safe place. You can keep it in a safe deposit box, although in some states, safe deposit boxes are sealed when you die. In your home, you can keep it in a fire safe. Also, make copies for close friends and the attorney that helped you prepare it, if you had an attorney. Make sure that you also make these people aware of where the original can be found.

Conclusion

For many, death is a very scary process and this is understandable. Still, you will want to know that the best interest of your family is protected in the time of your death. Write a will. Its one of the powerful things you can do for your family.