Will Preparation in Albany, New York

Find the right Will Preparation attorney in Albany, NY

Most of the problems that can pop up with wills in Albany, New York, like challenges to the will's validity, can be avoided if the will is well-drafted in the first place.

Generally, the larger your estate, and the more separate devises you want to make, the more complex the process of drafting your will is going to be. For most people, however, the process can be fairly simple.

But even with "simple" wills, some easily-avoidable problems come up more often than they need to. A good Albany, New York attorney can help you avoid these problems with careful will preparation.

A significant percentage of the problems that prevent wills from taking effect are caused by failing to follow the required formalities in will preparation. In most states, wills need to be witnessed and signed by at least two people who have no direct interest in the matter. They also have to include a clear written statement that the document is, in fact, the testator's will. It also has to be witnessed by at least two people. Witnesses cannot be anyone who has a direct interest in the will, which includes close relatives of the testator and anyone who's named in the will.

Holographic Wills in Albany, New York

In some states, testators are allowed to make "holographic wills." This is a will which the testator hand-writes, in his or her own handwriting. Such wills do not need to have any witnesses to be given effect.

Assuming that a holographic will is valid in your state, a court will probably interpret it very liberally, acknowledging the fact that it probably wasn't written by a lawyer. This is to make it much easier to actually give your wishes effect.

You should know, however, that holographic wills aren't recognized in many states. If you live in one of these states, you're still free to hand write your will, but, in order to be valid, it must be accompanied by all the formalities required by the laws of the state it is made in.

If your state recognizes them, a holographic will might be a reasonable option if you have a very small estate, and wish to make very simple devises. However, it is never a bad idea to at least have an attorney review your will for completeness and clarity, even if you aren't having the attorney draft it from scratch.

How Can A Albany, New York Lawyer Help?

Because of the formalities required in drafting wills, it's never a bad idea to have a good Albany, New York attorney help in making your will. Even if your will is quite simple, and you have all the formalities figured out, it's still easy to make mistakes without a good once-over by a professional.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Albany

Albany is the capital city of New York State, and the county seat of Albany County. Albany, New Yorkis a medium-sized city, boasting a population of just under 100,000 people.

In 1908, Albany, New York opened one of the first commercial airports in the world, which served as a precursor to the Albany International Airport, which officially opened in 1920, and has been in continuous use since them.

Also, Albany, New York has a rich arts scene, with several renowned artists calling it home, along with some successful galleries. At the beginning of the spring season, Albany hosts an annual tulip festival, a popular regional event.

Albany is also a diverse city, with residents from a wide range of backgrounds. Albany's thriving artistic community, at least in part, owes its existence to this diversity.

New York is home to several nationally-renowned law schools, including New York University, and Columbia University,as well as some less-known law schools, which are very well-respected locally. Because of this, there is no shortage of Albany, New York lawyers.

Whatever legal problem you might have, it's likely that you can find a competent Albany, New York lawyer, at a fair price.

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