Hello World! Welcome Friends! Writing your will is something that most people do not think about until they are much older, but doing so early can help make things much easier in the case of an accident or sudden death. While even thinking about writing a will can be depressing on intimidating considering there are many different types of wills, there are many things you must consider to ensure that your children or assets are taken care of.
We are going to look at 10 things to remember when writing a will to help you whether you would like to write your own or hire a conservatorship attorney to help you out.
Choosing a Guardian For Your Kids
One of the most important things to remember when writing your will, if you have children, is to appoint a guardian for them in case anything happens to you and your spouse. This may be a family member, trusted friend, or even a someone that your child bonds with really well.
You can include thing such as what type of education they should receive, what types of activities you would like to see them participate in, and a long list of other requests that your guardian should use to raise your children.
Dispersing Your Assets
Over the years, we tend to acquire many different things from homes, vehicles, furniture, and much more. People from all around the Big Apple are looking for estate planning services in New York that can do this fairly and according to your wishes without causing any issues.
Once you have passed, these items will need to a new home, and you can appoint these to specific people within your will. No matter how big or small the asset is, you can have it listed to ensure that it is going to a good home.
If there is an over abundance of items in the estate, it is always a good thing to have an estate sale. To get good ideas about estate sales, type estate sales near me so that you can see how local estate sales are being run locally.
This is also great for prized possessions or family heirlooms. After a family member passes, there can be some confusion on where their belongings go to. Having a detailed list in your will can help avoid confusion and potential conflicts.
Choosing An Executor
An executor is someone that you appoint to carry out your last wishes as outlined in your will. This person will be responsible for handling your estate and making sure that your will is carried out to the last request.
Choosing an executor may be difficult as it is a big responsibility, however, it is sometimes seen as an honor by the person chosen. You will need to choose someone that you trust to ensure everything is taken cared of.
Determine Any Beneficiaries
A beneficiary is someone who you appoint to benefit from your will by receiving special gifts or a part of your real estate. This is highly important as this is where people start to include their close friends, family members, or other people of importance. You will want to make sure to include the name and contact details of each beneficiary so that your executor can contact them to let them know of their part of your estate.
Consider Donating to Charities
As part of your list of beneficiaries, you can also add in a charity to benefit from a part of your estate. This can be done in the form of a donation from part of your estate that is being sold, or by assigning certain assets to the charity for them to use at their discretion. Many people who take this route usually have a charity in mind, however, if you are having trouble finding a charity to contribute to, you can always use a site like Charity Watch to help you find the perfect organization.
Instructions For Your Funeral
While most people have usually discussed how they would like to be buried with family members or a close friend, it is always a good practice to have this written down in your will to ensure that your final wish is carried out. Many people use this as a chance to determine whether they want to be an organ donor, be buried, or be cremated. Although this is a difficult conversation to have with someone who is close to you, we recommend that you make those who are close to you aware of the funeral instructions you have written in your will.
Manage Specific Circumstances
Life happens and people come in and out of our lives more than we would like them to. This can make splitting up an estate quite difficult when there is a divorce or other major life changing events. This part of the will be for you to outline exactly who will be excluded from your will to ensure that there are no questions asked when the executor starts to carry out your will. It is important to explain the details of these actions as well so that your executor (and those affected by the decision) are fully aware of your wishes.
Include Your Accountant or Financial Planner
While many people may not have a financial advisor or accountant, for those who do, it is important to include the details of them inside your will. This will allow your executor to get in touch with them to determine what type of finances and debts you have to ensure that everything is settled in the correct fashion. This will make the process much easier for those involved.
Choose a Power of Attorney
The last tip on our list is to choose one or two power of attorneys. A power of attorney is someone who will make decisions for you in the event that you are unable to. This is very important in the case of you being terminally ill or in a coma where you are unable to make important decisions. We suggest having a conversation with the person that you have in mind prior to assigning them this role to ensure that they feel comfortable making decisions for you. This can be a highly stressful time for your family so having someone in charge can ease the stress for everyone.
Conclusion
Now that we have looked at 10 things to remember when writing a will, you should be able to confidently write your own will or take this information to your conservatorship attorney to help you through the process.
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