Last Will and Testament Template
What Is A Last Will And Testament?
A last will and testament is not the most cheerful document, but it is the key to ensuring your property is handled properly following your death. It may seem macabre, but in truth it ts never too soon to draw one up Picture this – you die unexpectedly in a car crash. You have no will. Your loved ones, in addition to the pain and sadness of losing you, must now handle the confusion of divvying up your assets. This is, to put it lightly, far from the ideal situation for anyone.
If you have any solid last wishes, it’s best to put them in official writing as soon as possible, just to be on the safe side. So, let’s talk about what goes into a last will and testament form.
In order to perform its legal function, a last will and testament template must have the following properties –
· It must identify the “testator” (ther person who is creating the will) and clearly state that the testator is of sound mind and making the enclosed declarations of his or her own free will.
· It must clearly name all beneficiaries and describe each bequest in detail. The level of detail required depends upon the nature of the bequest. For example, if a beneficiary is receiving a property, the will must contain the
· It must contain a statement declaring its supremacy over all other wills and codicils.
· You and two or more witnesses must sign and date the document. Some states also required the signature of a notary public, so you’ll want to check your state’s official website for regulations. Your witnesses must be “disinterested” witnesses, meaning they are not beneficiaries of your will. These signatures MUST appear at the end of the document; by law, any text that follows the signatures of a will’s testator is not considered valid.
Do I need a lawyer?
Technically, a will is executable without a lawyer; however, if you draw up a will from scratch without any input from a pro, you run the risk of making a linguistic or typographical error that ruins everything. A good middle ground is a sample last will and testament form, which you can easily download from the internet. A last will and testament template will contain all the basic components you need in the proper legalese, and your only job is to fill in the blanks.